County-level health matters were at the forefront of Wednesday’s meetings for the Lyon County Commission and Newman Regional Health Board of Trustees.
At the County Commission meeting, Lyon County Public Health administrators Dr. Ladun Oyenuga and Renee Hively announced the agency is adjusting its staff to meet local needs for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, both of which are currently high. Starting next week, Public Health is transferring its contact tracing investigation processes for all active cases to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Hively says the switch will free up Public Health personnel to significantly increase testing capacity at a time when residents are clamoring for tests but supply is either low or nonexistent.
Also next week, Flint Hills Community Health Center will file a request with the federal government to bring free tests to the county as part of President Joe Biden’s latest initiative to halt the virus. The Health Center can take advantage of the plan to bring free tests to county residents due to its status as a Federally Qualified Health Center. Several items about the federal policy are still formulating, according to Hively, including who can use the free tests once those are distributed.
At the joint meeting involving county commissioners and the Newman Regional Health Board of Trustees, a report indicated COVID traffic was slightly lower this week versus earlier in December — but it’s still extremely difficult to transfer patients elsewhere if needed, whether for COVID treatment or other medical issues. Like FHCHC, the hospital has also applied to distribute free tests — as a Rural Health Center, not a Federally Qualified Health Center — and could receive as many as 2,000 tests at some point early next year. Separately, CEO Bob Wright urged asymptomatic residents not to come to the hospital to receive a COVID test until Newman Regional Health has the free tests available.
