SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Officials have announced South Dakota’s public health lab has halted COVID-19 testing due to a shortage of supplies.
The lab had to stop this week after running out of supplies both from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and private suppliers.
It ran tests for medium and high risk patients on Monday.
The Department of Health said there is “no timeframe” for when tests will be available due to a nationwide shortage of testing supplies.
Two of the largest healthcare providers in South Dakota have indicated they are working to develop testing.
In the absence of current testing, SD-DOH recommends that individuals suspected of having COVID-19 self-isolate at home until COVID-19 testing has been completed or released from isolation according to the following:
Person does not have fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications, for at least 72 hours (at least 3 full days).
Person has improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath).
At least seven days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
