CARMEL — The City of Carmel is working to start testing people at assisted living facilities and nursing homes for COVID-19.
Mayor Jim Brainard says the city is working with Aria Diagnostics in Indianapolis to coordinate the testing. The city is working with the company to test all first responders and city employees.
The tests are authorized by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and can test a large amount of people quickly, according to a press release from the city.
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“After consulting with medical practitioners and area hospital administrators about how to best use expanded testing capacity, it was recommended that we test nursing homes and assisted living facility staff," Brainard said in the release. "If a resident has already been identified as having the virus, then all the residents in that facility should be tested. We are fortunate to have a local entrepreneur who has quickly converted his business to perform large numbers of these much needed tests.
Brainard says testing could save lives if it is done quickly.
The city is not paying for the tests, but is anticipating reimbursement under various federal laws for testing, according to the release.
