Guidelines being followed for testing for Covid 19

25

WQ.206/2020

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY C.S. ALVES OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 2nd JUNE 2020

Question

Will the Minister –

1. provide the guidelines that have been issued to the people staffing the Coronavirus helpline in order that they can decide whether someone is, or is not, eligible to be tested for Covid-19;
2. state who signed off on these guidelines, and any other advice that has been given to staff, before they were provided;
3. advise whether callers' details are noted at the time of their call and, if so, what details are taken; and
4. state whether such details are taken in the case of every caller to the helpline and, if not, explain why not?

Answer

1. Callers to the helpline who have one or more symptoms consistent with Coronavirus infection are eligible for a PCR test. The eligibility criteria for testing have evolved over the course of the pandemic, in response to our increased testing capacity, medical advice regarding COVID-19 and the development of our testing strategy.  
2. The criteria for testing and guidance for callers is confirmed by the Deputy Medical Officer of Health. This guidance is under continual review.  
3. Calls to the helpline have covered a wide range of topics relating to Coronavirus since this service was launched on 19 February. Callers' details are not recorded when they contact the Coronavirus helpline unless they are booked-in for a PCR (swab) test, to avoid collecting personal data unnecessarily. Callers are booked-in for a test using the Health and Community Services TrakCare database to generate an appointment. For callers who have a record in TrakCare as they are already patients, the helpline will confirm the following information: General Practitioner; postcode; mobile telephone number; ethnicity; and religion.

The following information will also be collected for callers without a TrakCare record, so this can be created: full name; sex/gender; date of birth; civil status; country of birth; and full address.

The following information will be collected for all callers who are offered a PCR test: relevant clinical details/history; reason for swabbing; location for swabbing; details of off-island travel in last 14 days; and specific symptoms experienced in the last 14 days and date of onset.

Prior to the increased testing capacity announced on 30 April[1], the details of symptomatic callers to the helpline who were advised to self-isolate were recorded and shared with Public Health. These records were kept to both monitor the spread of Coronavirus locally and to enable those with symptoms to be contacted if additional testing capacity became available. The following data was collected: name; contact phone number; number of adults and children in the household; number of adults and children in the household displaying symptoms; comments on symptoms; and address.

4. There is no pertinent reason to record the personal details of all callers phoning the helpline with general enquiries.