By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


COVID-19 testing capacity has increased and a new drive-thru screening center has been set up at St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital.

A new screening station is part of the hospital system’s larger expansion of screening centers across the Southeast Michigan region. Individuals interested in being screened do not need an appointment or physician referral. St. Joseph Mercy Livingston’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Varsha Moudgal is an infectious diseases specialist by training. She says tests are more readily available and the hospital on Byron Road now has a screening center at the West Entrance Drive open daily from 8am to 5pm. Moudgal says they’ve had a screening and testing site for the last few weeks but on Wednesday, the drive-thru screening center was set up for the community. It’s a single lane drive-thru center with a couple of stations. Moudgal says community patients can come through the drive-thru for on-site screening to see if someone meets the qualifications for testing. Moudgal noted the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has also loosened criteria for testing so more community patients are now candidates for testing. Patients can get screened and if they meet criteria, can get tested as well. A nasal swab is administered to test for COVID-19 and test results typically come back within 24-48 hours.

The hospital has been caring for COVID-19 patients but is also open for all other non-COVID care and has implemented strict screening and safety measures. Moudgal says numbers differ on a day-to-day basis but as of Thursday, the local hospital was caring for three COVID-positive patients and three other patients who were under investigation and awaiting test results. Moudgal tells WHMI there is a separate wing set aside for COVID positive patients and they are doing everything they can to ensure they are kept safe and protected, along with other patients coming to the hospital for non-COVID related conditions. She stressed different practices and measures have been put in place to keep staff and patients safe. Moudgal says whether someone is a patient, an employee, coming through the emergency department or a screening center, if someone has symptoms and there is any concern for COVID they will test. Moudgal said it is tough but they have a wonderful staff that is extremely resilient and their first commitment is to the safety of patients and they take good care of them. She says they’re working within CD guidelines and provide staff with all personal protective equipment because the goal is to keep all patients and staff safe.

Individuals can be tested if they meet the CDC and State of Michigan testing criteria, which includes patients who are high risk and present with a fever above 100 degrees and a cough (lasting less than six weeks) or shortness of breath. If someone is a-symptomatic, Moudgal says they recommend they stay at home but those with any symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or any gastrointestinal side effects like diarrhea can be tested due to the loosened criteria. The hospital is asking that patients with suspected COVID-19 take a free online screening, where they will be screened and can be referred to a video visit or to see a primary care provider, who will order the COVID-19 test if necessary. Physician orders can be filled at various screening locations, including St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital. St. Joe’s has also set up a COVID-19 hotline for anyone with questions at 1-833-247-1258. The link to the online screening center is provided, along with an attached press release with more information and locations.