COVID-19

This message was sent to all Tribal Health Directors and Local Public Health Officers.

Standing order now available for rapid point-of-care COVID-19 testing

The State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services is making a standing order available, under the authority of its Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ryan Westergaard, MD, PhD, MPH, to facilitate rapid, point-of-care (POC) COVID-19 testing. The order will be published today (10/28/20) to the DHS website: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/providers.htm.

Rapid testing is an essential tool for identifying the burden and spread of COVID-19. These POC tests can provide a result in approximately 15 minutes and are recommended for use with individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19 or who have exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Organizations who use these POC tests are encouraged to review and follow the recommendations outlined in DHS COVID-19 Health Alert #17, Important Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Antigen Tests.

This standing order is intended to make it easier for organizations with these POC tests to use these supplies efficiently, effectively, and safely. To be valid under this order, the COVID-19 rapid POC test must be conducted in accordance with the following requirements:

• POC tests must be conducted by personnel who have completed training to safely and effectively conduct the POC test, as provided by the manufacturer.
• Patients must meet DHS-established eligibility criteria for symptoms of or exposure to COVID-19, as described in DHS COVID-19 Health Alert #13, Recommendations for COVID-19 Testing.
• As described in DHS COVID-19 Health Alert #17, Important Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Antigen Tests, a two-tier testing strategy is essential. Organizations who administer these POC tests must ensure that patients have access to confirmatory testing, when indicated.
• Organizations administering tests must submit all results and required patient-level data to public health agencies within 24 hours of test administration. Information about how to report COVID-19 results is available through DHS: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/providers.htm.
• Tests must be administered in accordance with instructions specified by the manufacturer, in an environment with a CLIA certificate or waiver. Information about how to obtain a CLIA waiver is available through CMS: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cms-clia-laboratory-quick-start-guide-remediated.pdf.
• At a minimum, patients must provide verbal consent for testing and be given appropriate educational materials to help them slow the spread of disease through isolation and quarantine.

Rapid POC tests are available in limited supply in most Wisconsin communities. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has distributed POC tests and instruments to the State of Wisconsin and to many skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities. Among these supplies, HHS committed to distributing 1.7 million Abbott BinaxNOW antigen tests to the State of Wisconsin through December 2020. To date, these supplies have been prioritized for health care organizations to help ensure health care worker safety. Decisions for future distributions are pending.

Antigen and molecular rapid POC tests with FDA authorization include, but are not limited to, the following:

Questions about these testing supplies should be directed to the vendor. Questions about any testing supplies available from the State of Wisconsin can be directed to WICOVID19TestingCollectionSupplies@wisconsin.gov.

Please do not respond to this email. If you have questions, please email DHSLTHDResponse@wi.gov.