ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – Whether positive, active, or probable, Coronavirus cases are sometimes difficult to report and hard to understand.
“The actual reporting process if the test is positive is electronic,” said Dr. Michael Scalzone, the executive vice president/ chief quality officer for Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital.
After seeing an increase in positive Coronavirus cases, it’s not only important to understand where they are coming from, but how exactly the cases are being reported.
“As the result is obtained through the laboratory equipment, if there is a positive, there’s an interface to the different states. Each state has a different electronic system, so that happens without any humans having to detect that and send it along,” said Scalzone.
“When that happens, there’s the demographic data, so name, age, address, is automatically collected at the time that the specimen was taken and that information goes to the state as well,” said Scalzone.
Now, new apps, called COVID Alert NY and COVID Alert PA, has been developed by Pennsylvania and New York State that helps with the Coronavirus reporting process.
“It looks for the proximity of anyone that’s downloaded the app with someone who may be positive,” said Scalzone.