CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Clinic is being inundated with people requesting COVID-19 testing due to the proliferation of delta variant cases raging across the state, and it is advising Ohioans how they can get tested beyond just showing up at an emergency room or urgent care location.
"We have been experiencing a growing volume of patients requesting COVID-19 testing in our emergency, urgent care and Express Care settings," the clinic said. "We understand that with the increased numbers of COVID-19 cases and other respiratory illnesses happening across our community, people want to be tested."
Cleveland Clinic asks you to consider the following options regarding testing:
- If you or a loved one are experiencing non-urgent COVID-19 symptoms and have a Cleveland Clinic primary care provider, you may schedule a testing appointment online in MyChart without seeing a provider.
- If you or a loved one are experiencing non-urgent COVID-19 symptoms and do NOT have a Cleveland Clinic primary care physician and would like to be tested through Cleveland Clinic, please schedule an online virtual visit to see a provider who can order a test for you.
- If you do not have symptoms but would still like to be tested for COVID-19 through Cleveland Clinic, please self-schedule a testing appointment through MyChart.
- Cleveland Clinic is one of many locations in the community where testing is provided. In addition to testing sites, self-testing kits from the State of Ohio are available free of charge at local libraries and for sale at most retail pharmacies.
- If your COVID-19 symptoms are severe, the emergency department is available 24 hours a day for patients who require immediate care.
"These testing options are crucial to ensuring our emergency departments, urgent cares and Express Cares can provide timely treatment for patients with critical needs. We are currently experiencing high volumes of patients at our facilities, so wait times for those with minor symptoms may be longer than average," the clinic said.
Testing in Ohio
According to the Ohio Department of Health, there were 49,369 tests done on Tuesday, the latest day this data from the ODH was available. Of those tests, 12.5% were positive, compared to the rolling 7-day average positivity rate, which is 13.7%. Current levels are tens of thousands of tests higher than they were just two months ago.
Click here for details on where to get a COVID-19 test in your area.
Coronavirus in Ohio
ODH reported 7,475 new cases, 300 new hospitalizations and 24 ICU admissions on Thursday across the state. In Cuyahoga County, there have been a total of 134,990 cases since the pandemic began, as well as 8,035 hospitalizations and more than 2,300 deaths.
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