The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued interim guidance to help ambulatory care facilities respond to community spread of the coronavirus. The guidance responded to the need to minimize transmission, identify presumptive cases of COVID-19, implement an appropriate triage procedure, reduce the impact on bed capacity and maximize the use of personal protective equipment. The guidance listed 10 actions facilities should take in response to the pandemic. These included delaying elective ambulatory provider visits, engaging local community organizations to assist patients who are treated at home and preparing to safely triage patients with respiratory illness. The CDC also issued interim guidelines for COVID-19 antibody testing this week. (CDC website, 5/26/20)
