Mayor Gives Perspective On Testing Positive For COVID-19
July 2, 2020 at 12:32 a.m.
Mayor Gives Perspective On Testing Positive For COVID-19
By David [email protected]
Thallemer announced Tuesday he had tested positive.
“Since our last press conference, I’ve kind of gotten a crash course in COVID symptoms and testing options, contract tracing, post-testing instructions,” he said.
He said last Wednesday he was involved in that press conference by phone after being tested for the coronavirus that morning.
“I’m feeling pretty good. I had a little fever to begin with, my energy has been down a little bit, but other than that I feel blessed that I don’t have some of the more (severe) symptoms that many people have been burdened by,” Thallemer. “I was told to quarantine for 10 days from the onset of my symptoms and not (stop) that quarantine till I’ve had three consecutive days without fever.”
He said he hasn’t had a fever since his initial spike “when this whole thing started.”
Thallemer will seek another test to confirm he’s negative before he eases back into work.
While he’s joked about his situation to get through it, Thallemer said, “I just want to assure everybody, through my experiences, there’s nothing to joke about as this thing doesn’t seem to want to go away.”
He said he expected that Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb would address Wednesday moving to phase 5 of the state’s reopening this Saturday.
“I know to the immediate north of us in Elkhart County, they’re not ready for that, but if we do indeed go into phase 5, we still have to be very mindful of the potential for this thing to get out of hand as people let their guard down a little bit,” he said.
On a positive side, Thallemer said he’s gotten a “pretty good perspective” of those needing testing in the community, the feelings one has, concerns and anxieties of going through testing and what a person does after they learn they’re positive or negative.
“It’s a very important perspective I wish I didn’t have to experience, but hopefully it will help us improve our work as a community to try and keep everyone safe moving forward,” he said.
Testing locally has gotten “very busy,” Thallemer reported. Wednesday morning, he received numbers from MedStat showing that 235 people have received COVID-19 testing provided by the city and county. He advised that anyone who feels they’ve been exposed or gets exposed this Fourth of July holiday weekend, or feels they have symptoms, they should get tested. Preregistration for the testing is a big help, he said.
Results can take anywhere from one hour to five days. Thallemer said his test took five days to get results back, but getting testing done is critical.
The Indiana State Department of Health is doing contract tracing for those who test positive in the state.
“I’ve got to say, I was actually contacted by the Indiana State Department of Health the day before my test results were actually given to me, so I knew when I got a text message from the Indiana State Department of Health, the lab probably provided my results to them,” Thallemer recalled. “But nonetheless, it was a very prompt call. I had a gal who spent a half hour with me, talking about the importance of contact tracing, identifying others at risk. She asked me several times if there were things I needed to stay quarantined. ... She was very compassionated. I think they were trained well, and she got the information out to me in a very, very efficient manner.”
Those identified as being in close contact with Thallemer received follow-up calls or text message within 24 hours.
“My experience with the State Department of Health contact tracing protocols was very, very positive and I think they’re doing a great job. Not only identifying those at risk, but also educating folks immediately about the most critical and up-to-date information from the State Department of Health and CDC,” Thallemer said.
He then provided an update on some of the work the city and county have been doing in regards to the pandemic.
“We’ve mounted a rather significant public education campaign to those at-risk populations in those neighborhoods over the last three to four weeks,” Thallemer said. “We’ve obviously now provided testing for our residents at no charge regardless of their status, which is helping provide access to testing.”
He said the city and county are now looking at trying to improve the process of some of those testing options. “We’re possibly looking at a mobile site in the county. We’re also looking to improve bilingual services to assist when test results need to be disseminated and follow-up instructions given. We’ve identified that as a weakness and we’re working, hopefully, with some CARES Act Funds to improve those services,” he said.
Kosciusko County Public Health Officer Dr. William Remington said, numerically, the county continues to see a steady growth of cases the last five weeks.
“We continue to see a rather linear growth. We do not see an explosive growth of cases,” he said.
There were 69 new cases in the previous week, 87 the week before, 91 before that and 86 before that.
“We do not, at least at this point, experience that explosive growth that they have in our neighboring counties unfortunately,” Remington said.
He said, “We want to continue the drum beat to be diligent with this respectable new virus. It’s a real thing. Our growth of cases is not simply a growth of testing. The frontline service providers ... are seeing more ill people. It’s been a little bit of a crush at the door, certainly in Elkhart County, not so much at our hospital here in this community, but still volumes are up so it’s a real deal. It’s not just a testing phenomenon.”
County Commissioner Brad Jackson gave a short update on the county’s efforts, noting that Thallemer and Remington covered “99.99% of it.”
The county is still spraying and disinfecting every day and using the “sneeze shields.” Social distancing is observed.
“Thankfully, so far, we still only have one team member that’s officially tested positive, which is pretty remarkable and we’re very thankful for that,” Jackson said.
The county is using federal CARES Act dollars to offset its costs.
He said the county and city partnering to offer testing to anyone who needs it was really important.
Thallemer announced Tuesday he had tested positive.
“Since our last press conference, I’ve kind of gotten a crash course in COVID symptoms and testing options, contract tracing, post-testing instructions,” he said.
He said last Wednesday he was involved in that press conference by phone after being tested for the coronavirus that morning.
“I’m feeling pretty good. I had a little fever to begin with, my energy has been down a little bit, but other than that I feel blessed that I don’t have some of the more (severe) symptoms that many people have been burdened by,” Thallemer. “I was told to quarantine for 10 days from the onset of my symptoms and not (stop) that quarantine till I’ve had three consecutive days without fever.”
He said he hasn’t had a fever since his initial spike “when this whole thing started.”
Thallemer will seek another test to confirm he’s negative before he eases back into work.
While he’s joked about his situation to get through it, Thallemer said, “I just want to assure everybody, through my experiences, there’s nothing to joke about as this thing doesn’t seem to want to go away.”
He said he expected that Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb would address Wednesday moving to phase 5 of the state’s reopening this Saturday.
“I know to the immediate north of us in Elkhart County, they’re not ready for that, but if we do indeed go into phase 5, we still have to be very mindful of the potential for this thing to get out of hand as people let their guard down a little bit,” he said.
On a positive side, Thallemer said he’s gotten a “pretty good perspective” of those needing testing in the community, the feelings one has, concerns and anxieties of going through testing and what a person does after they learn they’re positive or negative.
“It’s a very important perspective I wish I didn’t have to experience, but hopefully it will help us improve our work as a community to try and keep everyone safe moving forward,” he said.
Testing locally has gotten “very busy,” Thallemer reported. Wednesday morning, he received numbers from MedStat showing that 235 people have received COVID-19 testing provided by the city and county. He advised that anyone who feels they’ve been exposed or gets exposed this Fourth of July holiday weekend, or feels they have symptoms, they should get tested. Preregistration for the testing is a big help, he said.
Results can take anywhere from one hour to five days. Thallemer said his test took five days to get results back, but getting testing done is critical.
The Indiana State Department of Health is doing contract tracing for those who test positive in the state.
“I’ve got to say, I was actually contacted by the Indiana State Department of Health the day before my test results were actually given to me, so I knew when I got a text message from the Indiana State Department of Health, the lab probably provided my results to them,” Thallemer recalled. “But nonetheless, it was a very prompt call. I had a gal who spent a half hour with me, talking about the importance of contact tracing, identifying others at risk. She asked me several times if there were things I needed to stay quarantined. ... She was very compassionated. I think they were trained well, and she got the information out to me in a very, very efficient manner.”
Those identified as being in close contact with Thallemer received follow-up calls or text message within 24 hours.
“My experience with the State Department of Health contact tracing protocols was very, very positive and I think they’re doing a great job. Not only identifying those at risk, but also educating folks immediately about the most critical and up-to-date information from the State Department of Health and CDC,” Thallemer said.
He then provided an update on some of the work the city and county have been doing in regards to the pandemic.
“We’ve mounted a rather significant public education campaign to those at-risk populations in those neighborhoods over the last three to four weeks,” Thallemer said. “We’ve obviously now provided testing for our residents at no charge regardless of their status, which is helping provide access to testing.”
He said the city and county are now looking at trying to improve the process of some of those testing options. “We’re possibly looking at a mobile site in the county. We’re also looking to improve bilingual services to assist when test results need to be disseminated and follow-up instructions given. We’ve identified that as a weakness and we’re working, hopefully, with some CARES Act Funds to improve those services,” he said.
Kosciusko County Public Health Officer Dr. William Remington said, numerically, the county continues to see a steady growth of cases the last five weeks.
“We continue to see a rather linear growth. We do not see an explosive growth of cases,” he said.
There were 69 new cases in the previous week, 87 the week before, 91 before that and 86 before that.
“We do not, at least at this point, experience that explosive growth that they have in our neighboring counties unfortunately,” Remington said.
He said, “We want to continue the drum beat to be diligent with this respectable new virus. It’s a real thing. Our growth of cases is not simply a growth of testing. The frontline service providers ... are seeing more ill people. It’s been a little bit of a crush at the door, certainly in Elkhart County, not so much at our hospital here in this community, but still volumes are up so it’s a real deal. It’s not just a testing phenomenon.”
County Commissioner Brad Jackson gave a short update on the county’s efforts, noting that Thallemer and Remington covered “99.99% of it.”
The county is still spraying and disinfecting every day and using the “sneeze shields.” Social distancing is observed.
“Thankfully, so far, we still only have one team member that’s officially tested positive, which is pretty remarkable and we’re very thankful for that,” Jackson said.
The county is using federal CARES Act dollars to offset its costs.
He said the county and city partnering to offer testing to anyone who needs it was really important.
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