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News | March 26, 2020

COVID-19 Testing: A message to our beneficiaries

Due to increasing levels of community transmission and in order to ensure availability of testing in our highest-risk populations, effective 26 March 2020, the 59th Medical Wing will limit the preponderance of its current COVID testing to nursing-home or retirement-center dwellers, Active Duty living in dorms, JBSA Healthcare Personnel, Military Training Instructors (MTIs/MTLs) and other mission critical AD personnel.  Please keep in mind that most people do not need to be tested; treatment for mild to moderate cases of COVID, or any other viral respiratory illness, is to stay home until your symptoms resolve.
 
As an additional precaution to prevent COVID-19 spread, drive-thru screening to assess the need for further evaluation will still continue at Brooke Army Medical Center Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at Randolph Clinic, Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Individuals who feel they meet the current testing criteria and who come to the WHASC will be screened at the Family Emergency Center.
 
The following are recommendations if you're feeling sick or believe to have been exposed to someone with COVID-19:

  1. - Feeling sick - stay home!  Remain at home for up to 7 days AFTER symptoms stop.
  2. Been in contact with someone who has COVID19?   Stay home!!!  Remain in your home for 14 days after contact, or if you get symptoms, refer to #1.
  3. What are the Symptoms?   Fever, Cough, Shortness of breath - Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure (based on the incubation period of MERS-CoV viruses).

Beneficiaries can call the SAMHS COVID-19 Nurse Advice Line at 210-581-2266, Option 6, to book a CAMO appointment or for home-care instructions. The advice line is available Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. After hours, please call the MHS Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-TRICARE (874-2273), option 1 or visit MHSNurseAdviceLine.com for a web or video chat. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911.
 
As an additional resource, the CDC has an interactive COVID-19 Self-Checker that's intended as a guide to help you make decisions and seek appropriate medical care. Visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html, and click on Coronavirus Self-Checker.
 
In most cases, people should stay home when feeling ill. Together, we can help to stop the spread of COVID-19!
 
We remain dedicated to serving our beneficiaries, Airmen and their families!

Don’t forget to keep your family’s information up to date in DEERS!