IU Health officials are urging the public to avoid seeking COVID-19 testing in emergency rooms, which are already under strain from coronavirus patients.
Brian Shockney, president of IU Health’s south-central region, said Friday that hospitals have reached record-high numbers of patients across the entire system.
“If you're seeking COVID-19 testing, we'd ask you to please not seek testing in our emergency departments unless you're truly experiencing life-threatening illness or injury,” Shockney said. “Emergency department physicians throughout IU Health in the state are caring for a large number of patients, including those with urgent COVID-19 and other serious ailments as well as trauma, cuts and broken bones.”
He added: “Our most recent numbers are continuing to show a high volume of COVID-19 patients in the south-central region. The same is true when we combine the numbers of both IU Health Bloomington and Monroe Hospital.”
READ MORE: IU Health sees record number of COVID patients
Shockney said patients experiencing mild symptoms should contact their primary care provider or go to a non-emergency clinic.
He said unvaccinated people make up the majority of those hospitalized with COVID-19.
A list of testing locations is available on the Department of Health’s website.
