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With colder weather sweeping through Arizona, the cold and flu season has arrived in full force. Sonora Quest is stepping up to address this concern by providing complimentary COVID-19 and influenza A/B testing for uninsured individuals in Arizona.
Sonora Quest has taken the initiative to address the increasing number of influenza and COVID-19 cases during this season.
According to Onvida Health, they have witnessed a significant increase in the number of such cases in recent weeks.
Sonora Quest has taken the proactive step of joining forces with the CDC in their “Increasing Community Access to Testing” (ICATT) program to tackle respiratory illnesses effectively.
According to Tom Leggett, the senior director of business development at Sonora Quest, the main objective behind this initiative was to enhance community access to testing, particularly for uninsured patients.
Sonora Quest is committed to providing access to critical testing for all individuals, regardless of their financial situation, during this challenging season. The organization offers PCR testing, which is considered the most accurate method, ensuring reliable results for everyone.
Leggett explains that they have the capability to conduct a multiplex test, which allows for the testing of different pathogens on the same swab. This means that patients can now easily access both a COVID-19 and flu test.
Understanding the symptoms is crucial because it can be challenging to differentiate between COVID-19 and the flu, especially when both are circulating simultaneously, as stated by Onvida Health.
According to Erin Baaspace, the medical director of the emergency department at Onvida Health, it can be challenging to distinguish between different types of respiratory infections. With influenza A, symptoms often include a sore throat and cough, while influenza B tends to manifest with gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. However, both types of influenza are characterized by body aches and high fevers.