ST. LOUIS _ In the effort to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, government leaders are working to increase the number of people being tested for COVID-19. In rare cases, that includes testing people who have recently died.
In the midst of the pandemic, many people have had difficulty getting tested, though the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are loosening testing standards.
"Until the testing ability ramps up, the resources and testing should be reserved for those critically ill patients that the quick test and diagnosis may significantly impact their direct care," said MariaTeresa Tersigni-Tarrant, chief death investigator for St. Louis. "For decedents, we can always collect the samples immediately but hold them for testing until ability increases."
