County COVID-19 numbers trend downward
The Kansan
One year ago Feb. 28, 2020 to be exact was the first planning meeting involving members of the COVID-19 task force in Harvey County.
What has followed were community lockdowns, mask mandates, crowd size limitations, spiking infections, contact tracing, the opening of testing centers and beginning vaccine distribution for starters.
The time period also included 55 deaths within Harvey County.
However, case loads in the county are dropping just as they have statewide. We are averaging about five new cases a day over the past 14 days, said Lynette Redington, director of the Harvey County Health Department. Nine of those cases, over those 14 days, are cases from other counties that were sent to us. . We currently have 44 active cases and we have been under 100 active cases for all of February. That is wonderful, as well.
Crowd size limits increased, Newton schools returning to buildings
The Kansan
Lynnette Redington, director of the Harvey County Health Department, had good news for the county commission Tuesday many of the county COVID-19 indicators were trending downward. Today I am smiling just a little under the mask because we have better numbers than we have had, Redington said.
To date, 26,814 tests have been completed, on 13,133 individulals. There are currently five people in the hospital, a number Redington called stable.
Currently there are 70 active cases in the county a number that Redington called fantastic after case loads in the hundreds for weeks.
Harvey County, clinic partner to distribute COVID-19 vaccine
The Kansan
The Harvey County Health Department is expecting a shipment of about 400 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine sometime this week, and with it, a problem.
When word gets out that the vaccine is at the health department, there is a crush of phone calls from those who want to get the shot. The No. 1 goal is to get vaccine into as many arms as quickly as possible, said Harvey County Commissioner Randy Hague. That should be the goal, and I hope everyone in the county will take the vaccine.
There is a new partnership to help the effort. The Harvey County Health Department and Health Ministries announced a partnership Tuesday to streamline the scheduling and giving vaccinations for Harvey County residents 65 years old and older.
Posted By: chrismaslen January 27, 2021 @ 6:30 am Coronavirus (Covid-19), Local News, News
The Harvey County Health Department has partnered with Health Ministries to begin scheduling COVID-19 vaccination appointments for residents aged 65 and older.
A local call center will be established to schedule appointments for this age demographic, and it will be able to receive calls beginning on Thursday, January 28th. Residents can call (316) 836-4990.
Vaccinations will be held Thursday, February 4th by appointment only at COVID-19 vaccine point of dispensing (POD).
After all appointments have been filled for Feb. 4th, the call center will continue to operate and create a waiting list for those aged 65 and older. Health reps will contact those on the waiting list to schedule future appointments as additional vaccine becomes available.