Understanding the COVID-19 testing process for Stephens County

As the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, moves through various communities, community leaders must perform certain steps to confirm positive cases of the virus within each county.

“When a facility tests a person, results are reported first to the doctor that ordered the test,” Lyndsey Rosales, communication specialist for the Texas Department of Health and Human Services said. “The results are then sent to the local health department in Stephens County, it’s our regional DSHS office. The regional office then notifies the local health authority and that local health authority then advises the county judge.”

After confirming a positive case of COVID-19 on Friday, April 3, community leaders received questions from citizens on why the case didn’t appear on the Texas DSHS website until Friday, April 10.

“We get case numbers reported daily, but don’t receive the case reports until later,” Rosales said. “There may be some delay between when they get results and when they notify the local health authority, because they need to confirm the address of the COVID-19 positive person to make sure the correct local health authority is notified.”

As of Monday, April 13, Stephens County has confirmed one case of COVID-19.

“The amount of time to get results it takes can vary, depending on whether the test was conducted by a private or public lab,” Rosales said. “It can take anywhere from 24 hours to a few days and we’ve heard some times private labs can take a week to get results back.”

The Texas Department of State Health Services tracks and updates cases daily by 1 p.m. at dshs.texas.gov/news/updates.shtm#coronavirus.