COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 Point Prevalence Testing Toolkit for Facilities and resultant strategies

Please see the enclosed important information related to COVID-19 response.

The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) recommends that when healthcare facilities (HCFs) perform facility-wide COVID-19 point-prevalence testing, they should plan in advance to take quick actions based on the results and to adopt a strategy to re-test patients/residents and staff who were found to be negative on the initial round of testing. A PPS for COVID-19 requires collection and testing of a surveillance specimen from all patients/residents and staff in a facility. During an ongoing outbreak, a PPS of only those without a previous positive COVID-19 test result may be most beneficial for deciding immediate action. A PPS can provide useful information for healthcare facilities to guide infection prevention efforts and identify patients/residents who are at risk of spreading or developing COVID-19 infections.

The Communicable Disease Service has put together a COVID-19 point prevalence toolkit for facilities to use as a resource when performing facility-wide testing for COVID-19. Attached please find a resource document and sample line-list that can be used to track testing being performed in facilities.

https://files.constantcontact.com/e1419ee3001/5456008b-0ea8-4c4c-b63c-1b362f08ee09.pdf
https://files.constantcontact.com/e1419ee3001/53d130f0-c692-4807-b462-2a4ecc224927.xls

J. David Weidner, MPH, REHS, MEP, CEM, CHEP Director, Emergency Management