Correction to the link to order testing supplies from the state public health laboratory: The below message has been updated to reflect a change in the link to order testing supplies from the state public health laboratory.
Facility-wide testing for all residents and staff is included in the most recent DHSS guidance (https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/ltcf.php) for communities that have a positive COVID-19 case. We are encouraging all communities to be prepared for this possibility so that should this occur, there will be no delay in testing implementation.
There are several coordination points that are necessary in order to have a successful testing plan. This includes having access to testing kits (both swabs and media – must have both), the ability to collect the specimens onsite, and establishing an agreement with a lab to process the specimens. To assist in this preparation, testing kits may be ordered through the state public health laboratory at https://health.mo.gov/lab/index.php or https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/specimen-collection-supplies.php. The state public health laboratory recently received testing combination kits that contain both the swabs and media. These kits are listed as “Swab/Media Combo – Remel MicroTest M4RT Transport 3ml vial with Nasopharyngeal swab” and are available for any long-term care community. We encourage all to take advantage of this current testing kit supply and to order enough supply to complete two rounds of facility-wide testing. The test kits do not expire until April 2021, so they are acceptable for use for several months.
**UPDATE – The specific kits referenced above are now out of stock. There are other testing supplies available to any long-term care community. Please ensure when ordering testing supplies, both swabs and media are needed for a complete testing kit. Please do not order every item on the list of supplies and keep in mind the number of testing kits needed for your community.