COVID Testing Still Available
August 6, 2020 at 1:15 a.m.
COVID Testing Still Available
By David [email protected]
During the weekly coronavirus press conference Wednesday, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer said testing will continue at Central Park through Saturday, but this is probably the final week for the free drive-thru state testing. The city is trying to get the testing time for the state mobile site extended.
“We’ve been very thankful for what they’ve done. They’ve been extremely busy. They were averaging the first couple of weeks almost 200 a day. I think that’s down a little bit. They’re still very steady down at Central Park,” Thallemer said.
The state testing is 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday. They are now testing children 2 years old and older. Results take three to five days and are provided by phone or email.
As for the CARES Act funded drive-up testing at the three MedStat locations in Kosciusko County, Thallemer said that’s resumed after MedStat experienced a supply and lab issue about two weeks ago. The city and Kosciusko County government combined some of their CARES Act funds to provide for up to 2,000 tests.
Preregistration at medstatonline.com helps speed up the process. MedStat has offices in Warsaw, Syracuse and Nappanee and are available seven days a week, but hours are posted on MedStat’s website.
“They’re continuing to do the PCR testing, which again is taking a little bit of time for the results, but it’s the same type of testing that (the city and county) have offered (with CARES Act funds) for the last five to six weeks,” Thallemer said.
On Monday, testing will begin at Parkview in Warsaw, he announced.
“Again, it will be the same type of testing. A similar operation: It will be PCR tested. It will be drive-up testing. I believe they will only offer testing Monday through Friday,” Thallemer said. Later, after receiving a phone call, he said Parkview’s testing will be 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Call 372-0030 to register.
With the CARES Act testing, if a person has an insurance card they should present it when they get tested as the hospital can bill for the testing. “If you don’t have a card, there will be no charge for that,” Thallemer said.
Medical Perspective
Kosciusko Public Health Officer Dr. William Remington said the county is seeing a steady growth in positive case numbers, but not an explosive growth. He sent out condolences to those families who have lost a loved one due to COVID-19 as there were some additional deaths in the past week.
“Our hospitalization rate as we know it looks fairly steady, yet not explosive. With the volume of tests having improved in this county, our percent positivity is going down, which is reassuring. If we were seeing percent positivity go up, despite more robust testing, it would be a significant red flag for all of us to ponder,” Remington said.
The health department continues to do a lot of advocacy, he said, “whether it be procuring personal protective equipment and distributing it to those who need it; answering innumerable phone calls; helping events of some size feel comfortable with putting their event together and vetting that with them. Those are large responsibilities for us right now.”
Remington said the health department will continue to watch the county numbers carefully. “I trust our data and hope that you do,” he said.
Children & Schools
Before the press briefing Wednesday, Thallemer spoke with Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert. WCS is still planning for opening day to be Aug. 18, but is working with the Kosciusko County Health Department daily to keep a close eye on the situation.
“Dr. Hoffert mentioned they’re in their third week of summer school and things have gone very well to this point so he’s encouraged by that,” Thallemer said.
If anyone has not registered for school yet, they can register on the WCS website. Thallemer said Hoffert told him about 95% of students have registered. Up-to-date protocols also are available on the website.
Remington said, “All said, I think we’re in good positioning to start schools, and the health department is really swinging resources in that direction. Much thanks to Teresa Reed and the many hours she spent working with school districts in our county. We’ve been able to expand her staff, so thanks to our county elected officials to allow that.”
With schools reopening this month, there has been much discussion as to how susceptible children are to COVID-19.
Remington said, “That’s an active point of discussion. I don’t know that we perfectly know. They have not been highly represented in the death rate, which seems so odd compared to influenza pandemic in the past or seasonal influenza. But thus far, it just hasn’t been a striking observation. Why that is, I don’t know. Whether we’ll see it look different once schools are to mix it up, I don’t know. But there’s largely a vote of optimism toward that segment of the population and their endurance through this COVID experience. There’s been a lot of discussion about that.”
Thallemer said at the beginning of the pandemic, everyone was saying kids weren’t affected by the coronavirus. “It became pretty obvious, as this evolved, that all those age groups seemed to be affected,” he said.
Remington agreed that anybody can get it. “But those coming to testing, statistically; I mean if you say that those come to testing are going to be typically sicker or hospitalized, that the pediatric age groups have not been highly represented in that. So how much they are carriers in a community, I think remains a question mark. Whether they are more likely to be carriers asymptomatically than adults, I don’t have an answer to that.”
Statistically, he said the older a person is, the worse the outcome with the virus.
Masks
Last week, Thallemer showed the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce’s video on masking, which was then put up on the Chamber’s website and Facebook page, as well as the city’s.
“The mask-up video was done very well. I actually sent it down to the governor’s office and had his staff look at it. They thought it was great. So, it’s done very well and (I’m) very appreciative of the time and resources it took to get that done,” Thallemer said.
Remington thanked the Chamber for the mask video and the mayor for his advocacy on testing.
Thallemer said he was personally encouraged by the community’s participation in masking up.
“I know it’s not perfect, but I think folks are understanding how important this is. Again, to me, it’s the one way we have of trying to affect not moving backward and not going back to shutdown and staying home. I think people understand that, it appears to me,” Thallemer said, asking people to continue to be diligent in masking up.
He then reported that Ann Sweet and the group that she’s a part of, the Pin Cushion Pals, completed 1,500 masks for WCS that will be delivered to Hoffert’s office Thursday. They’re currently sewing 150 masks for Sacred Heart; supplying child- and adult-sized masks to Warsaw Fire Station No. 2, East Center Street, for the public; and are taking some miscellaneous orders.
“She told me that they’ve delivered 8,000 masks so far. And I know that there are many other groups out there. But that type of support, I think, is really foundational to acceptance of the masks in the community. People have their own fashions, if you will,” Thallemer said.
Remington asked people to continue to do what health officials have asked them to do.
“Masks, we think make a difference. Please wear them when you can not socially separate. It’s a kind thing to do for your neighbor. ... Wear a mask in a public place, please,” Remington said.
If you are a person with substantial health issues or aging, he said “think twice before heading into a public event despite their best efforts to socially distance you.”
During the weekly coronavirus press conference Wednesday, Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer said testing will continue at Central Park through Saturday, but this is probably the final week for the free drive-thru state testing. The city is trying to get the testing time for the state mobile site extended.
“We’ve been very thankful for what they’ve done. They’ve been extremely busy. They were averaging the first couple of weeks almost 200 a day. I think that’s down a little bit. They’re still very steady down at Central Park,” Thallemer said.
The state testing is 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday. They are now testing children 2 years old and older. Results take three to five days and are provided by phone or email.
As for the CARES Act funded drive-up testing at the three MedStat locations in Kosciusko County, Thallemer said that’s resumed after MedStat experienced a supply and lab issue about two weeks ago. The city and Kosciusko County government combined some of their CARES Act funds to provide for up to 2,000 tests.
Preregistration at medstatonline.com helps speed up the process. MedStat has offices in Warsaw, Syracuse and Nappanee and are available seven days a week, but hours are posted on MedStat’s website.
“They’re continuing to do the PCR testing, which again is taking a little bit of time for the results, but it’s the same type of testing that (the city and county) have offered (with CARES Act funds) for the last five to six weeks,” Thallemer said.
On Monday, testing will begin at Parkview in Warsaw, he announced.
“Again, it will be the same type of testing. A similar operation: It will be PCR tested. It will be drive-up testing. I believe they will only offer testing Monday through Friday,” Thallemer said. Later, after receiving a phone call, he said Parkview’s testing will be 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Call 372-0030 to register.
With the CARES Act testing, if a person has an insurance card they should present it when they get tested as the hospital can bill for the testing. “If you don’t have a card, there will be no charge for that,” Thallemer said.
Medical Perspective
Kosciusko Public Health Officer Dr. William Remington said the county is seeing a steady growth in positive case numbers, but not an explosive growth. He sent out condolences to those families who have lost a loved one due to COVID-19 as there were some additional deaths in the past week.
“Our hospitalization rate as we know it looks fairly steady, yet not explosive. With the volume of tests having improved in this county, our percent positivity is going down, which is reassuring. If we were seeing percent positivity go up, despite more robust testing, it would be a significant red flag for all of us to ponder,” Remington said.
The health department continues to do a lot of advocacy, he said, “whether it be procuring personal protective equipment and distributing it to those who need it; answering innumerable phone calls; helping events of some size feel comfortable with putting their event together and vetting that with them. Those are large responsibilities for us right now.”
Remington said the health department will continue to watch the county numbers carefully. “I trust our data and hope that you do,” he said.
Children & Schools
Before the press briefing Wednesday, Thallemer spoke with Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert. WCS is still planning for opening day to be Aug. 18, but is working with the Kosciusko County Health Department daily to keep a close eye on the situation.
“Dr. Hoffert mentioned they’re in their third week of summer school and things have gone very well to this point so he’s encouraged by that,” Thallemer said.
If anyone has not registered for school yet, they can register on the WCS website. Thallemer said Hoffert told him about 95% of students have registered. Up-to-date protocols also are available on the website.
Remington said, “All said, I think we’re in good positioning to start schools, and the health department is really swinging resources in that direction. Much thanks to Teresa Reed and the many hours she spent working with school districts in our county. We’ve been able to expand her staff, so thanks to our county elected officials to allow that.”
With schools reopening this month, there has been much discussion as to how susceptible children are to COVID-19.
Remington said, “That’s an active point of discussion. I don’t know that we perfectly know. They have not been highly represented in the death rate, which seems so odd compared to influenza pandemic in the past or seasonal influenza. But thus far, it just hasn’t been a striking observation. Why that is, I don’t know. Whether we’ll see it look different once schools are to mix it up, I don’t know. But there’s largely a vote of optimism toward that segment of the population and their endurance through this COVID experience. There’s been a lot of discussion about that.”
Thallemer said at the beginning of the pandemic, everyone was saying kids weren’t affected by the coronavirus. “It became pretty obvious, as this evolved, that all those age groups seemed to be affected,” he said.
Remington agreed that anybody can get it. “But those coming to testing, statistically; I mean if you say that those come to testing are going to be typically sicker or hospitalized, that the pediatric age groups have not been highly represented in that. So how much they are carriers in a community, I think remains a question mark. Whether they are more likely to be carriers asymptomatically than adults, I don’t have an answer to that.”
Statistically, he said the older a person is, the worse the outcome with the virus.
Masks
Last week, Thallemer showed the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce’s video on masking, which was then put up on the Chamber’s website and Facebook page, as well as the city’s.
“The mask-up video was done very well. I actually sent it down to the governor’s office and had his staff look at it. They thought it was great. So, it’s done very well and (I’m) very appreciative of the time and resources it took to get that done,” Thallemer said.
Remington thanked the Chamber for the mask video and the mayor for his advocacy on testing.
Thallemer said he was personally encouraged by the community’s participation in masking up.
“I know it’s not perfect, but I think folks are understanding how important this is. Again, to me, it’s the one way we have of trying to affect not moving backward and not going back to shutdown and staying home. I think people understand that, it appears to me,” Thallemer said, asking people to continue to be diligent in masking up.
He then reported that Ann Sweet and the group that she’s a part of, the Pin Cushion Pals, completed 1,500 masks for WCS that will be delivered to Hoffert’s office Thursday. They’re currently sewing 150 masks for Sacred Heart; supplying child- and adult-sized masks to Warsaw Fire Station No. 2, East Center Street, for the public; and are taking some miscellaneous orders.
“She told me that they’ve delivered 8,000 masks so far. And I know that there are many other groups out there. But that type of support, I think, is really foundational to acceptance of the masks in the community. People have their own fashions, if you will,” Thallemer said.
Remington asked people to continue to do what health officials have asked them to do.
“Masks, we think make a difference. Please wear them when you can not socially separate. It’s a kind thing to do for your neighbor. ... Wear a mask in a public place, please,” Remington said.
If you are a person with substantial health issues or aging, he said “think twice before heading into a public event despite their best efforts to socially distance you.”
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