The recent end of one coronavirus testing option and the shutdown of the congregate housing option earlier this year are just the latest signs the overall COVID-19 response will largely be handled locally from here on out.
On KVOE’s Morning Show recently, Lyon County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern said this follows general trends when it comes to emergency public health matters.
WellHealth, which had been offering free coronavirus testing in Lyon County since December, ended that option Wednesday. The congregate housing option, where area residents could stay at a hotel if they were in quarantine or isolation, ended in early June. Even with those adjustments, Millbern says the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is still playing a key role in the local response. She also says Lyon County has more responsibility for meeting community needs as the pandemic continues, but she says there have been no issues in that regard.
Lyon County Public Health has made several adjustments in its approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting from a mass vaccination clinic format to an on-demand model — including walk-ins — at the Flint Hills Community Health Center. It has also set aside different days for the different vaccines. The Johnson & Johnson shot is now available to the general public on a daily basis. Public Health is offering the Moderna vaccine on Mondays and Wednesdays. The Pfizer vaccine is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Appointments can be made online at www.publichealth.lyoncounty.org.
Meanwhile, vaccination rates are gradually pushing up in Lyon County. At last update, about 48 percent of eligible Lyon County residents ages 12-plus have been fully vaccinated and around 51 percent have been partially vaccinated. This means about 41 percent of the total population is fully vaccinated and about 44 percent is partially vaccinated.
