By: Esther Gowin
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Pat Walker Health Center opened a new clinic specifically for respiratory illnesses in the Garland Parking Garage last week.
Click here for an interactive graphic detailing essential information about the temporary clinic.
The Respiratory Illness Clinic aims to treat any student, faculty or staff member at the University of Arkansas showing respiratory illness symptoms. These symptoms include things such as a fever, headache, cough or sore throat.
The clinic provides rapid COVID-19 tests for patients to take upon arrival. The Medical Director of Pat Walker Health Clinic, Dr. Huda Sharaf, said the clinic’s main purpose is to treat cases of COVID or other respiratory illnesses.
“The respiratory clinic is not only geared towards trying to diagnose COVID-19 early on,” Dr. Sharaf said. “But as we know, there are other types of infections that cause similar symptoms and we don’t want to overlook that.”
Dr. Sharaf said the rapid tests the clinic provides are reserved only for patients showing symptoms of COVID-19.
“The reason for that is because there is still a high false negative rate associated with that test,” Dr. Sharaf said. “Obviously, the likelihood of getting a false negative with someone who has no symptoms is much higher.”
As the holidays approach, the University of Arkansas is encouraging students to get tested for COVID. Dr. Sharaf said getting tested is a safety precaution for people planning to travel.
“To those that are traveling home for Thanksgiving break and potentially going to spend time with parents, grandparents, siblings, extended family,” Dr. Sharaf said. “You don’t want to unknowingly expose anyone that could potentially be vulnerable to the infection and the complications that can go with it.”
Anyone not showing symptoms but looking to receive a COVID test can schedule an appointment through the Pat Walker Health Center.