91制片厂

The high toll that the coronavirus has taken on long-term care facilities across the nation underscores the value of a new partnership between 91制片厂 and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

In December, 91制片厂鈥檚 COVID testing lab began providing testing for 30 long-term care facilities and shelters throughout the state.听To date, the lab has processed more than 3,000 tests conducted on the staff of those facilities as well as staff and residents of shelters. And that鈥檚 in addition to the ongoing testing of the 91制片厂 community. The need for testing at the facilities听and shelters is identified by DHHS; requests must be made to the state.

New Hampshire, which has more than 70 nursing homes,听has been reported to have the highest rate of COVID-related nursing home deaths in the country. That figure is an indication of the low percentage of deaths in the population outside long-term care units.听

The university estimates the lab will have capacity to run approximately 6,000 tests a week for the state.

鈥淪ince the 91制片厂 lab opened in August, we have processed more than 300,000 tests and we鈥檙e pleased to partner with the state to be able to extend this service to help protect our state鈥檚 most vulnerable populations,鈥� said Marian McCord, senior vice provost for research, economic engagement and outreach and co-chair of the 91制片厂 testing and tracing committee.

鈥淲e are grateful to the governor鈥檚 office and our congressional delegation for their support of this work with funding from GOFERR (Governor鈥檚 Office for Emergency Relief & Recovery) and the CARES Act, as well as the university鈥檚 investment in and commitment to developing this important capability that is critical to our ability to safely operate and, ultimately, to help support the state.鈥�

The university estimates the lab will have capacity to run approximately 6,000 tests a week for the state. Equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation, the lab is capable of processing as many as 4,000 samples per day to meet the 91制片厂 mandate that every member of the community is required to participate in regular testing. Results are typically generated in fewer than 48 hours.

Plans are underway now to prioritize testing needs but the lab expects to process up to 1,000 tests a day for the state. CARES Act funds were allocated to support the lab.

鈥淥ur ability to protect residents and staff in long-term care facilities requires fast turnaround times on lab tests to rapidly identify and isolate new cases inside these facilities,鈥� said DHHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette. 鈥淒ue to nationwide increase in community transmission over the past few months, national testing laboratories are seeing increasing demands for testing from around the country. The department鈥檚 partnership with the 91制片厂 COVID testing lab is ensuring faster test results, which helps facilities quickly isolate people testing positive, contain the spread of the virus and protect the health of their residents and staff.鈥�