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Shelby County health experts prioritizing, temporarily limiting who can be tested for COVID-19

The move comes as testing demand surges locally, lab backlogs grow.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — This is the first major change in local testing strategy during the pandemic and proof that right now, there are not enough tests for every one who wants one: symptoms or no symptoms.

"We know any delays in access in testing and accessing the results of those tests are significant," Shelby County Health Director Dr. Alisa Haushalter said.

Tuesday, Shelby County health experts announced that, with testing sites using close to their entire weekly capacity, only those with COVID-19 symptoms or those who made close contact with someone who tested positive should be tested for the foreseeable future.

"That means there is incredibly limited access for asymptomatic testing, " Church Health Chief Operating Officer Jenny Bartlett-Prescott said.

The announcement came as labs which Shelby County partners with are also struggling to keep up with testing sample supplies, causing some results to take 15 to 17 days.

"That is why we are seeing delays in our test results coming back," Bartlett-Prescott said.

Bartlett-Prescott also asked employers to not require their workers with possible exposure to be tested before returning to work. Instead, she said those workers can safely return after isolating for ten days and another three days symptom-free, without medication.

"We have more people seeking testing then we ever did before," Bartlett-Prescott said. 

The testing priority change will - for now - impact the depth of knowing just how widespread COVID-19 is in Shelby County. This, as the area's overall positivity rate increased every day the past four weeks. 

"Now we see more broader transmission and that particular positivity rate is reflective of that," Dr. Haushalter said.

Health experts said they're considering other lab options as a backup, as well as possibly developing a higher volume testing site by combining different community testing partners in one place.

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