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. 2020 Sep 26;8(18):3920–3933. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i18.3920

Table 2.

Priorities for testing patients with suspected coronavirus disease-2019 infection

Priority 1 Ensure optimal care options for all hospitalized patients, lessen the risk of nosocomial infections, and maintain the integrity of the healthcare system:
Hospitalized patients
Symptomatic healthcare workers
Priority 2 Ensure that those who are at highest risk of complication of infection are rapidly identified and appropriately triaged:
Patients in long-term care facilities with symptoms
Patients 65 yr of age and older with symptoms
Patients with underlying conditions with symptoms
First responders with symptoms
Priority 3 As resources allow, test individuals in the surrounding community of rapidly increasing hospital cases to decrease community spread, and ensure health of essential workers:
Critical infrastructure workers with symptoms
Individuals who do not meet any of the above categories with symptoms
Healthcare workers and first responders
Individuals with mild symptoms in communities experiencing high COVID-19 hospitalizations
Non-priority Individuals without symptoms

Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19: Coronavirus disease-2019.