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Coronavirus Latest: COVID-19 Testing Sites Limiting Who Can Get Tested Due To Short Supplies

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Supplies are not only needed for hospitals but also for health care workers at the many drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites, which were overwhelmed again on Monday. People are anxious to know whether or not they're infected but health officials say it really doesn't matter unless you're in a high-risk group.

Cars lined up early Monday -- even before the testing began on Ogontz Avenue in Philadelphia -- where Rite Aid is offering coronavirus testing for first responders and health care workers.

Because of limited medical supplies, officials say only medical staff and people with underlying medical conditions should be tested.

"Generally healthy individuals who have mild symptoms and no underlying medical conditions do not need to be tested at this time. They should stay at home," Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Chair Dr. Valerie Arkoosh said.

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That's because there is no treatment for COVID-19.

Initially, testing was aimed at calculating virus spread but that's shifting now because of limited medical supplies and the feeling that it's now widespread.

Different testing sites have different restrictions about who's eligible. Most will only swab people with symptoms or those in the high-risk categories.

"In view of the shortages of the supplies and in view of the shortage of testing capacity, testing is becoming less valuable, so it will be less of a focus of our overall response to this epidemic. We are unable to test everyone so we have to be clearer and tighter with our criteria for who the test should be given to," Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said.

Penn Medicine has two testing sites for its patients -- one at 41st and Market Streets and the other in Radnor. Some results can be fast-tracked at the Penn lab.

Non-Penn patients without a doctor's referral can be screened on a case-by-case basis.

In Paramus, New Jersey, the first federally-run site there was again overwhelmed and had to turn away people before it opened.

"Not everyone should hop in their car and come here to be tested. Let's ensure that our resources are available, first and foremost, to those who are at greatest risk," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said.

Test results can take anywhere from two to 10 days to get back. The average is about five days.

Some hospitals are now doing their own testing and can get results a lot quicker. That includes Penn and on Monday, Cooper University Health Care announced it's collecting and testing samples in Cherry Hill.

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