Ladies and Gentlemen,
Leaders within the Mercy Hospital system notified CCPH today that its Emergency Rooms are being overwhelmed by students and parents showing up to be tested in an effort to reduce kids' quarantine periods. While testing for this purpose is appropriate, EMERGENCY ROOMS ARE NOT THE APPROPRIATE VENUE for students and parents to show up for testing.
The link below provides more appropriate places where families and students can go to pursue tests:
https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/dashboards/other-resources/testing-ch-centers
In addition, the websites for CVS, Kroger, Rite Aid, and Walmart, among others, provide information on testing availability at their respective locations.
In summary, please advise your personnel to guide parents and students to locations available through the link above and to the businesses mentioned above for testing. STUDENTS AND PARENTS SHOULD AVOID EMERGENCY ROOMS UNLESS A TRUE MEDICAL EMERGENCY EXISTS.
Thank you for helping get word out about this emerging issue
Take care,
Jeff
Jeffery T. Weir
Superintendent
Clermont County Educational Service Center