THE Medical Care and Treatment Site, or MCATS, located north of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., is now being utilized as a “test-to-treat” site, screening individuals — children and adults — for Covid-19, as well as treating those who test positive for the virus.
“People have been here through multiple iterations. We have seen people come for vaccinations, for testing, and now we’ve opened recently a test-to-treat site here where patients who test positive for [Covid-19] anywhere in the community — whether on a home rapid test, at [the Koblerville Youth Center testing site], or at a work testing site — are encouraged to follow up here because they can also be treated for Covid-19,” Dr. Lily Muldoon, public health medical director and emergency medicine physician, said on Thursday.
Muldoon, joined by Ailene P. Ferrer, LPN; emergency nurse supervisor Ronillo C. Alkuino; and certified nursing assistant Irin Shaira A. Valle, conducted a tour of the new MCATS layout on Thursday.
The “test-to-treat” process begins with screening individuals for Covid-19. Upon entry into the M1 tent, patients register at the front table, then wait for triage and swabbing.
Both rapid antigen and PCR tests are available at the swabbing station.
Patients then transfer to the M2 tent to wait for their test results. Results are received 15 minutes after being tested.
If a patient tests negative, they are either discharged or are moved to clinic evaluation.
Those who test positive are transferred to the M3 tent for treatment.
Vital signs are regularly checked throughout the “test-to-treat” process.
“Most of the patients that we see have mild to moderate symptoms and are able to be discharged. We make sure that vital signs are normal, that they drink okay and can tolerate liquids, then we determine whether or not they are safe to go home,” Muldoon said.
CHCC does continue supportive care at home.
“After they go home, we recommend for them to stay hydrated. A lot of people don’t realize that when they’re sick, their bodies can become very dehydrated. Whether they have a fever, are vomiting, have diarrhea, we encourage everyone to stay hydrated, drink plenty of water, and to try to avoid sugary drinks like soda and juice,” Muldoon added.
Tylenol and ibuprofen are also recommended to help take the edge off of the uncomfortable symptoms that people experience, such as headache, backache, fevers, and coughing.
If anyone has any concern, such as having trouble breathing while they are at home, it is recommended that they seek emergency medical treatment.
Treatment
Muldoon said that the MCATS has several different Covid-19 treatment options available, as well as plenty of staff who are able to provide patients with additional testing if needed, education on how to live with Covid-19, and screening for eligibility for Covid-19 treatment.
From MCATS, based on patients’ individual assessment, they may either go to the emergency room or be admitted to the hospital for further treatment, or be referred to the Communicable Disease Investigative Team, formerly known as the contact tracing team.
“If they do test positive and want to be seen by a provider, there is an emergency room doctor who comes over and evaluates the patients, goes through their medical history, goes through the medications that they’re currently taking, determines if they have any risk factors for developing severe [Covid-19] disease, and then can offer the patient treatment,” the medical director said.
“We are very lucky to have many different [Covid-19] treatment options. The most common treatment that we prescribe — because it’s the most common treatment that’s effective — [is] called Paxlovid. This is a medication that is taken orally for five days, twice per day, so it’s easy to take,” she said.
This has shown to be effective for high-risk individuals, including those with underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease.
“It will help ensure that they are less likely to be hospitalized for [Covid-19],” Muldoon said.
Individuals seeking Covid-19 treatment are encouraged to bring a complete list of their medications upon screening, as the treatment options may have side effects.
If a patient does not qualify for Paxlovid because of certain medications that s/he is currently taking or for other reasons, there are a few other options available, such as monoclonal antibodies.
A single dose of these antibodies can be administered through IV. It can also be taken orally.
However, Muldoon said CHCC recommends Paxlovid because it is the most efficacious medication that the CNMI has to prevent severe Covid-19.
As for individuals who do not wish to receive treatment, they are released on their own recognizance, but are encouraged to receive treatment.
“We encourage people to get treated, particularly if they’re unvaccinated. One of the highest risk factors for people to develop severe Covid-19 is if they are not vaccinated, so we really encourage them to come in, get treated, and be seen by a provider to make sure that they are safe to go home,” Muldoon said.
“Of course everybody… can do what they want. We don’t force anybody to do anything they don’t want to do here, but we’re just recommending evidence-based medications to help keep everybody safe.”
The MCATS is open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with sufficient staff on rotation.
For those seeking Covid-19 treatment outside of these hours, the CHCC emergency department is open 24/7.
The negative-pressure MCATS tents, which include consistent air filtration and ventilation to help prevent the spread of the virus, were put up at the beginning of the pandemic in order to have more space for CHCC to respond to Covid-19.
