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, Gov. Tim Walz said the state has caught up on a backlog of COVID-19 samples. But he said a nationwide shortage of testing materials and of the personal protective equipment providers need to take samples means testing is still limited in the state.

 testing for hospitalized patients, health care workers, their household members who show symptoms, and people who live in congregate living settings, such as assisted living facilities and prisons. 

So, what are doctors telling people who aren’t in those settings but show symptoms?

“It's just heartbreaking that we're basically telling people over the phone or through various online portals that, ‘Yep, your symptoms sure sound consistent with COVID-19. But, you know, most the time it's very mild. Stay at home and take acetaminophen or Tylenol, push fluids, take it easy and let us know if things get worse,’” said Dr. Jon Hallberg, medical director of the 

University of Minnesota Physicians Mill City Clinic

“That sounds harsh, and it is,” he said. “But it's this new reality that we're in right now.”

How Minnesota hospitals are preparing

Hallberg said that, because clinics have 

, it has freed up staff to call these patients for regular, proactive check-ins. Medical students and physicians are now calling people presumed to have COVID-19 twice a day to take down their temperature and breathing status. They can then refer patients whose vitals deteriorate to the emergency room.

Hallberg spoke with MPR News host Tom Crann about this and how his clinic is shifting to telemedicine. Hit play on the audio player above.

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State health officials are still telling doctors to limit who they test for COVID-19. MPR’s weekly medical analyst, Dr. Jon Hallberg, shares how his clinic is working with patients who have symptoms of the disease. 

How doctors are handling COVID-19 calls amid test shortage

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