With critically low supply of lab materials, Northern Light Maine Coast, Blue Hill Hospital to prioritize COVID-19 testing 

Fri, 03/20/2020 - 9:15pm

    ELLSWORTH and BLUE HILL — The national supply of laboratory materials is critically low, reducing the ability to perform COVID-19 testing across the state of Maine and the country. In response, the Maine State CDC has shared new, stricter guidelines for testing patients. To preserve testing capacity for patients who may develop severe COVID-19, effective immediately, Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital in Ellsworth and Blue Hill Hospital in Blue Hill will prioritize testing according to CDC guidelines for high-risk individuals to include:

    hospitalized patients who are high-risk

    healthcare workers and first responders

    people living in closed settings like nursing homes

    Northern Light Blue Hill and Maine Coast Hospitals have established Drive-Up Test Site.

    Only people with referrals will be seen. To get a referral you must have symptoms and have called the hospitals’ Screening Hotline at 844-489-1822.

    “Please note that call volume is expected to be high and wait time to speak with a nurse could be long,” according to a news release from the hospitals.

    northernlighthealth.org.