Missouri is continuing to expand testing for COVID-19. Governor Mike Parson discussed the strategies going forward, as the state economy continues to reopen. Governor Mike Parson says one of the major pillars for reopening the economy is expanding testing. He says a cross-agency working group identified priorities for deploying testing. They include early identification of possible outbreaks through community sampling, sentinel testing and the rapid deployment of testing and supplies.Dr. Randall Williams is the director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. He says one key element is called the “box strategy,” which will be used in places like nursing homes.
If you have one patient who turns positive or one staff member who’s symptomatic, who turns positive, we’re going to go in and check everyone. We’re also going to be doing very similar in our prisons, jails, meatpacking facilities.
Williams says he expects anyone who wants to get a test like an antibody test can by June or July. Missouri has had 10,000 positive cases of COVID-19 since March 7. Parson says 9-10 percent are still recovering. There have been 542 deaths total.