KERN COUNTY, Calif. — On Thursday, the Kern County Public Health Department addressed several COVID-19 concerns, including a malfunctioning database and the potential for everyone to catch the virus at some point.
CalREDIE is an online module that health care providers use to communicate with the state when it comes to COVID-19 cases. Public Health said CalREDIE isn’t working, and that’s delaying test results and case numbers.
“We are encouraging our patients, if you are known to be positive, to reach out to us at the Public Health Department," said Kern County Public Health Department Lead Epidemiologist Kim Hernandez.
Labs use CalREADIE to send California counties COVID-19 test results, but with the system malfunctioning, healthcare providers and their patients are getting test results before the Public Health Department.
“Right now, with the current issues we’re having with the state database system, we are not getting a lot of our lab results within a timely manner," said Hernandez.
Hernandez said self-reporting test results gives the Public Health Department faster, more accurate numbers to report. She also said there is a high chance that everyone catches COVID-19. When asked to clarify, Hernandez said that’s the reality of any novel virus.
“With any novel virus, the general assumption is the entire population is susceptible," she said. "Nobody is immune to it. Nobody has been exposed to it in the past and so we are all at risk of coming in contact and being infected by the virus.”
Public Health Director Matt Constantine said, according to a model provided by the state, California won’t reach the peak of COVID-19 cases until February.
“It shows a slow and steady heading up into early 2021 where cases will continue to rise," Constantine said.
But Constantine also said we can change that model by continuing social distancing and wearing facing masks.
To report a COVID-19 test result, click here.
