Children’s Mercy to halt most routine COVID testing due to critical shortage of kits
Children’s Mercy Hospital announced that it will be halting routine COVID-19 testing after it didn’t receive its shipment of testing kits Sunday, the Kansas City hospital said in a statement.
The surge in cases due to the omicron variant of the coronavirus and a demand in testing across the country has led to a critical shortage of testing supplies at the hospital, hospital leaders said in the statement.
“Starting Wednesday, Jan. 19, COVID-19 testing will be based on our current volume and supply,” hospital leaders said. “Testing will be limited to clinical employees and our pre-procedural and admitted patients.”
The hospital said that until further notice, it would temporarily close its drive-through testing sites. It also will not be doing routine testing in its emergency department and Urgent Care locations.
Testing will be provided for patients in the emergency departments and Urgent Care who meet strict testing criteria and whose results would impact clinical decision-making.
Also, drive-through testing would be provided for patients scheduled for procedures and for employees.
“This is an evolving situation that we are closely monitoring and reevaluating so that we continue to meet the needs of the community and care for the sickest children,” hospital leaders said.
The halting of routine testing comes at a time that omicron is sending more kids to the hospital than in previous phases of the pandemic.
Kansas City area schools have also canceled classes as hundreds of teachers and staff calling out sick due to COVID.
Meanwhile, Kansas City are hospitals have recently reported being overwhelmed by COVID patients, many not vaccinated.
