Official Utah Department of Health Alert and Update
COVID-19 Response – Persons Under Investigation Update
HAN #: 03122020-01
Title: New process for requesting laboratory testing at the Utah Public Health Laboratory (UPHL) for SARS-COV-2
Summary/Background:
On March 12th, 2020, Utah Department of Health (UDOH), launched a new online process for ordering and
approval of testing patients with suspect COVID-19. UDOH has also broadened the testing criteria for some
populations at risk for more severe disease or transmission of COVID-19. For providers considering testing, please
also consider ordering testing through a commercial laboratory, if possible. If COVID-19 testing demand exceeds
laboratory capacity, UDOH will prioritize testing for patients who meet clinical criteria AND have an
epidemiologic risk factor. Asymptomatic patients will not be tested. The guidance is likely to change when there is
widespread transmission of COVID-19 in Utah.
To request testing, please visit: UDOH COVID-19 Test Request Tool, which is also available at coronavirus.utah.gov.
Providing false or incorrect answers will result in test cancellation. UDOH is relying on clinicians to be good
stewards of our limited testing resources by following the below guidance.
UDOH is providing COVID-19 testing for patients who meet the following criteria:

Clinical Features
1. Fever or signs/symptoms of lower respiratory
illness (e.g., cough or shortness of breath)

&

Epidemiologic Risk

AND Any person, including healthcare workers, who has had
close contact with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19
patient within 14 days of symptom onset

2. Fever or signs/symptoms of a lower respiratory AND A history of travel from affected geographic areas (see
illness (e.g., cough or shortness of breath)
below) within 14 days of symptom onset
3. Fever and severe acute lower respiratory illness AND No source of exposure has been identified
(e.g., imaging confirmed pneumonia, ARDS)
without alternative explanatory diagnosis (e.g.,
influenza)
4. Fever or signs/symptoms of lower respiratory
AND One of the following risk groups:
● Hospitalized patients (to inform infection control)
illness (e.g., cough or shortness of breath)
● Older Adults (age ≥ 65 years)
without alternative explanatory diagnosis (e.g.,
● Any person who lives in a residential facility such as a
influenza)
nursing home
● Patients who are immunocompromised or have
underlying chronic conditions

 Please note the following:
● Affected geographic areas can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/travelers/index.html.
● If you have a patient that meets the above criteria:
o Collect specimens according to the attached guidelines.
o Visit the UDOH COVID-19 Test Request Tool, fill out the online survey and get testing approval.
o Complete a UPHL request form to submit with each specimen. The form is attached or can be
downloaded as a fillable PDF at uphl.utah.gov.
This guidance is intended to clarify who may be tested with clinical or epidemiologic risk while testing capabilities
are being expanded nationally and in Utah. It is NOT meant to be a directive as to who must be tested. While public
health is expanding the testing criteria, it is NOT the intention of CDC or the UDOH that everyone with lower
respiratory illness who tests negative for influenza be considered a possible COVID-19 patient.
At this time, healthcare providers caring for patients with fever and severe lower respiratory illness without any
epidemiologic risk for COVID-19 should use contact and droplet precautions with eye protection (unless another
diagnosis requires a higher level of precaution, e.g., tuberculosis).
Recommendations
● Obtain a travel history of all patients presenting with fever or lower respiratory symptoms. Symptomatic
patients who have traveled in the past 14 days to an area affected by COVID-19 should be assessed for the
disease.
● All patients in the healthcare setting who are being assessed for COVID-19 should be isolated in a private
room with limited traffic and a closed door. The patient should wear a surgical mask when someone else
enters the room.
● Patients who are being tested for COVID-19 but do not require hospitalization are recommended to adhere
to home isolation until testing is completed.
● Healthcare personnel caring for patients with fever and severe lower respiratory illness WITHOUT any
epidemiologic risk for COVID-19 should:
o use standard, contact, and droplet precautions with eye protection;
o proceed to work-up for common causes of respiratory illness (e.g., FilmArray);
o if no alternative explanatory diagnosis, consider an infectious disease consultation.
● NP and OP swabs can be collected concurrently as other samples being collected for infectious disease rule
out (e.g., influenza and respiratory FilmArray or similar broad panel).
● NP and OP swabs can be collected into a single vial of Viral Transport Media and submitted as a single
sample.
● If a patient is considered to be a PUI and is being tested for COVID-19, use standard, contact, and airborne
precautions with eye protection when providing care.
● Healthcare personnel that cared for a PUI or a confirmed COVID-19 case should have their exposure risk
assessed and be excluded from work based on the CDC’s work restriction recommendations.
For more information
● UDOH COVID-19 Information: coronavirus.utah.gov
● CDC PUI guidance: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/clinical-criteria.html
● CDC information for travel: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/
● CDC information for healthcare professionals: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/index.html
● CDC guidance for home isolation: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
● CDC guidance for healthcare personnel exposure assessment and work restriction recommendations:
cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-risk-assesment-hcp.html
Contact: For questions, please call 1-888-EPI-UTAH (374-8824).