As the coronavirus pandemic is seemingly closing down, one of Lyon County’s major resources to help limit its spread is shutting down.
Lyon County Public Health says the noncongregate housing option will stop admitting area residents Friday. Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern says this has been a good resource, so she’s sad to see it go.
Noncongregate housing has been an option for people needing either quarantine or isolation since April 2020. People admitted this week will be allowed to stay as long as needed, whether for quarantine or isolation.
Originally located at the Hampton Inn and La Quinta Inn, it moved to the new Eleven Boutique at 3021 West Highway 50 about five weeks ago.
Also, with the explosion of community events over the past month and more coming soon, Lyon County Public Health says there are more close contacts than the agency has seen in some time — but Millbern says there is a simple reason why the caseload hasn’t increased.
Lyon County hasn’t had a double-digit increase in new COVID-19 cases since late March, shortly before Lyon County turned its mass gathering and social distancing mandates — later its mask mandate — into recommendations.
Meanwhile, Millbern says the number of coronavirus variants remains low with 10 confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 or UK variant and a handful of cases under scrutiny. She also says the current slate of vaccines is effective against the variants, so she encouraged people to get vaccinated if they have not already done so.
If you need to take advantage of the noncongregate housing option before it closes, call the Public Health COVID-19 Hotline at 620-208-3741.
