SPECIMEN COLLECTION OCCURRING IN CHIPPEWA COUNTY

CHIPPEWA COUNTY, Mich. — Recently, through various media outlets, there have been concerns being voiced that COVID‐19 testing is not being done in Chippewa County.

Healthcare facilities such as War Memorial Hospital (WMH), Sault Tribe Health Center (STHC), and Bay Mills Health Center (BMHC) are collecting specimen samples from individuals who meet the state’s criteria for COVID‐19 testing. COVID‐19 testing is done by the State of Michigan Bureau of Labs and other private labs or approved hospitals. The specimen samples taken by WMH, STHC, or BMHC are sent to the state or other private labs or approved hospitals for testing. To date, 17 specimen samples have been collected in our county.

If you think you have been exposed to COVID‐19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. If you cannot reach your provider, there are three hotline options:

WMH: 906‐632‐5922, Monday‐Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
BMHC: 906‐248‐8369, Monday‐Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
STHC: 906‐632‐5200, Monday‐Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
MI Dept. of Community Health: 1‐888‐535‐6136, every day 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

An automated self‐checker is also available to help you make decisions and seek appropriate medical care at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019‐
ncov/symptoms‐testing/symptoms.html.

If you feel your symptoms are life threatening, please contact the WMH Emergency Department at 1‐906‐635‐4402 prior to arrival.

Please remember to obtain information from credible sources such as cdc.gov, Michigan.gov, warmemorialhospital.org, or chippewahd.com.