HALEYVILLE - Lakeland Community Hospital in Haleyville has been serving all of Winston County by providing COVID-19 testing, and has now been named an official testing site for the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Lakeland Family Practice, a medical clinic through the hospital located in the professional building, has been operating a fever and flu clinic, exclusively checking patients who have the common symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough and/or shortness of breath). Initially, the clinic was located at the canopy-covered front entrance of Lakeland Hospital, but then moved to the professional building, along with weekly sites in Double Springs and Addison.
“We have had a great response to the testing sites, however we are seeing a decrease in the numbers of people wanting to be tested. While Lakeland Family Practice will continue to be a testing site, it is time to reopen the clinic and determine what our 'new normal' will be moving forward, ” Lakeland Community Hospital CEO Ashley Pool said.
The last day Lakeland Family Practice will operate exclusively as a fever and flu clinic will be Friday, May 8. Beginning Monday, May 11, Lakeland Family Practice will resume normal clinic operations.
For the remainder of this week, Lakeland Family Practice will be a testing site for COVID-19 Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Testing will be done outside, and interested persons are asked to call ahead to 205-485-7227 before coming. On Thursday from noon until 4 p.m., the staff will be holding a drive-thru COVID-19 testing clinic in the Winston County High School parking lot. There is no charge for the COVID-19 test, but persons wishing to be tested must have a valid photo ID.
As an official testing site for the Alabama Department of Public Health, patients must meet the following criteria in order to be tested for COVID-19:
The patient is a resident of a long-term care facility with multiple resident/employee COVI-19 confirmed cases, or
The patient is symptomatic with at minimum (measured or subjective) fever or cough or shortness of breath, and
• is immunocompromised or has co-morbidities, or
• is age 65 years or older, or
• is a healthcare worker, or
• is associated with a long-term healthcare facility, or
• has moderate, severe or worsening symptoms, or at least two of these symptoms:
• fever
• chills
• repeated shaking with chills
• muscle pain
• headache
• sore throat
• new loss of taste or smell
The above criteria are subject to change by ADPH.
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
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