Lawrence General Opens Exterior Coronavirus Test Tent

LAWRENCE, MA — Lawrence General Hospital opened an exterior tent site for coronavirus test sample collection Tuesday, the hospital announced. The hospital is preparing for a "likely surge of people needed testing." From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., people pre-screened based on medical need will be tested at an exterior tent site, outside the ambulance bay of the hospital's Emergency Center.

The exterior test site is intended to limit potential exposure and the spread of the new virus, and to protect the health and safety of both patients and caregivers. People concerned about potential exposure or symptoms can use one of the hospital's two screening tools to determine their risk and get recommendations for next steps.

"To get pre-screened for testing, please call the Lawrence General Hospital Community Screening Line at 978-946-8409," the announcement continued. "The hospital’s online community screening tool can be found at: https://www.lawrencegeneral.org/about-us/covid-19.asp."

The hospital also announced further restrictions on visitors: with certain exceptions, visitors are prohibited.

“As we face the regional challenges of a global pandemic, we must do what is right and in the best interest of the community we serve,” says CEO Deb Wilson in a statement. “Delaying and flattening the pandemic curve is of critical importance, which is why hospitals, including Lawrence General, are having to shift focus in preparation for a potentially rapid and overwhelming uptick in critical patient care needs.”

One adult visitor, or an adult accompanying a child, will be allowed for labor and delivery, palliative care and pediatric patients. Otherwise, family and friends are asked to contact patients electronically.

The hospital suspended all shuttle services and non-essential elective procedures, Monday. All non-urgent outpatient services are being postponed.

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Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.