The Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation is working to add faster testing capacity for COVID-19. Chief of Staff Dr. Ellen Hodges says that the Bethel hospital is waiting for a part that will modify a screening machine to do the testing.
“We have been told that we would be eligible to receive shipping for that cartridge sometime in May. It takes time to confirm and validate that test, and run the quality controls necessary to make sure the test is accurate. So hopefully we will have the availability of in-house testing. So this would be available in Bethel only, and the results will be available in a couple of hours,” said Hodges.
The earliest YKHC would be able to begin running the test locally is June. However, a national shortage of both test kits and swabs remains. As of April 2, only 50 tests have been conducted in the region. YKHC has broadened the testing criteria, which makes more people eligible to be tested. Meanwhile, Hodges recommends that people stay at home, going out only for essential needs. She says that doing so is very important, because it will slow the spread of the disease.
“I think there has been, certainly in Bethel and possibly the surrounding villages, a reluctance to shelter in place. And so the governor’s mandate really is stay at home, and don’t leave unless you have essential reasons to leave your house. It would help to help flatten the curve and reduce the amount of infections here if people could follow the governor’s mandate and shelter in place.”
The Bethel hospital has added beds in a special section for more intensive care, though YKHC is not licensed to have full Intensive Care Units. Hodges says that patients are currently medevaced to Anchorage for intensive care, and YKHC will continue to do so as long as the out of town ICU beds are available. The additional beds and capacity in Bethel have been created as emergency backups for if the beds in Anchorage are full and not available.
