Category Archives: Health Care

Business, COVID-19, Fort Scott, Government, Health Care, Housing

Positive Events in Fort Scott: Mayor Jones

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Fort Scott Mayor Josh Jones.

Fort Scott Mayor Josh Jones said many positive events happened in the community this past year, and the city is poised for some promising events in the new year.

“A lot of things done in 2021 laid the groundwork for 2022 and we expect a lot of 2021 things to be executed in 2022,” Jones said.

The following is what Jones provided fortscott.biz as accomplishments.

In 2021, the Fort Scott City Commission:

1. Refinanced city bonds saving $15,500 per year over the next five years.
2. Passed a half-cent sales tax with 90% of revenue going towards streets and 10% going towards parks. This money will start coming in, in 2022.
3. Started an in-house safety training program saving the city $15,000 per year.
4. Utilized the Firstsource Building for  Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department’s giving mass vaccines during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
5. Put out Requests for Qualifications for a new city attorney leading to the city commission hiring a city attorney saving the city approximately $200,000 a year.
6. Approved to enter into a cost-sharing venture with the Bourbon County Commission for joint purchase of materials and equipment.
7. Approved a conditional use permit for an area south of town to allow a micro-meat processing plant to build a facility,  which will create about 30 jobs.
8. Implemented the SeeClickFix app, which allows citizens to report road problems and code nuisances.
9. Started semi-monthly roller skating sessions at Buck Run Community Center for an added amenity for the community.
10. Moved city-county emergency dispatch to the Bourbon County Courthouse.
11. Improved the beach area at Lake Fort Scott.
12. Sold the Firstsource Building for $315,000.
13. Sold four Lake Fort Scott lots for approximately $500,000.
14. Entered into a shared services agreement with Bourbon County for information technology services, saving approximately $30,000 per year.
15. Used $200,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for a feasibility study for re-use of the former Mercy Hospital Building as a hospital.
16. Reworked and finalized setting up the Fort Scott Land Bank which focuses on the conversion of vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent, or otherwise underused properties into productive use.
17. Approved $2,000 bonuses for all emergency services workers that work for the city.
18. Entered into an agreement with Bourbon County REDI (Regional Economic Development, Inc.) to provide economic development services for the City of Fort Scott,  saving approximately $100,000 a year.
19. Repaired over one mile of city sewer lines.
20. Entered into an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for traffic signal upgrades in 2022 on Highway 69.
21. Was awarded a $50,000 grant from T-Mobile Internet for upgrades to the Skubitz Plaza area on the north end of historic downtown Fort Scott.

 

Bourbon County, COVID-19, Government, Health Care

Bourbon County Commission Highlights For 2021

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Lynne Oharah is the current chairman of the Bourbon County Commission. Submitted photo.

Bourbon County District 1 Commissioner Lynne Oharah is optimistic for the future.

“I am seeing major endeavors in economic development, improved infrastructure, and continued cost savings to the taxpayers,” Oharah said in response to questions from fortscott.biz.

“One of the major accomplishments that was achieved in 2021 is the mill levy was reduced by 1.68 mills for the 2021 budget year and 2.43 for the 2022 budget year which is a total reduction of 4.11 mills or approximately $440,000 taxpayer dollars, which is a trend that the commission is dedicated to continuing.”

A significant success this year was the asphalt program for roads.

“Our Public Works Director and his crews were able to lay 14 miles or 28 lane miles of asphalt at the depth of 2 and ½ inches which has never been accomplished in at least the last seven years,” he said. “If this trend continues through a vigorous chip and seal program coupled with increased asphalt application we are in a position to improve all of our asphalt roads.”

Additionally, the public works crews are increasing gravel production which will mean more gravel on county roads, he said.

“Although COVID-19 hit our community hard this year, the residents continued to support our local economy, “Oharah said. “Sales tax receipts were up this year, allowing us to do more projects in the road and bridge department on hard surface roads.”

“2021 saw the reorganization of BEDCO (Bourbon County Economic Development Council, Inc.) into a county-wide economic development board which was able to consolidate economic development for the county and cities, as a whole,” he said.

It is now called Bourbon County REDI  (Regional Economic Development Inc.)  and a new economic development director was hired, Rob Harrington.

“One of Rob’s first tasks was to provide a roadmap to a successful economic development program,” he said.

“Just to name one of these successes is the introduction of a  $125,000 granting program that awarded grants to the smaller communities to improve quality of life in these communities, plus a bike recreation project in Gunn Park,” he said.

Harrington, along with other individuals, is working to increase access to healthcare, which is one of the keys to the growth of Bourbon County, he said.

Oharah said the results of the hospital feasibility study will be released on January 31.

For the Bourbon County Courthouse, there have been many personnel changes.

The commission has hired Susan Bancroft as the financial/human resource director, which has been needed for many years, he said.

This position has resulted in an ability to provide the financial tracking and oversite, budget planning, program implementation, and human resource services that have been lacking, he said.

Additionally, Bancroft is working part-time for the City of Fort Scott until they can find a replacement finance director.

A new county appraiser was hired, Matt Quick.

“Matt is very good at what he does and very good at public relations,” he said.

The commissioners also hired a new county clerk,  Ashley Shelton. “Ashley has hit the road running, is personable, and a fast learner,” he said.

The county’s information technology department has been busy, as the City of Fort Scott and the county signed a contract to share the services and their costs, he said.

“The IT department worked with the 911 dispatch center to move dispatch into the old jail area at the courthouse which increases safety for this essential group,” Oharah said.  “IT is continuing to work on providing broadband access to areas of Bourbon County that are poorly served.”

“Lastly, I’m sure that you have noticed that the front steps at the courthouse have been replaced,” he said.

A few anticipated Bourbon County Commission 2022 projects:

  • Start repairs on the Elm Creek Lake dam.
  • Move all budget responsibilities under directors and elected officials.
  • Move to electronic time reporting.
  • Implement public works to handle public works projects and work orders.

“As we wrap up 2021, I want to wish our residents a happy new year and I look forward to a more prosperous year in 2022,” he said.

 

 

Bourbon County, Government, Health Care

Johnson and Johnson Vaccine No Longer Offered at Health Department

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Submitted byRebecca Johnson BSN, RN

SEK Multi-County Health Department

Administrator/SEK Local Health Officer

*411 N. Washington, Iola, KS 66749

*524 S. Lowman, Ft. Scott, KS 66701

P(620)223-4464 F(620)223-1686

[email protected]

On Wednesday, December 15, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Janssen/Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine with additional precautions related to a blood clotting disorder, Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), observed in a wide range of recipients. On Thursday, the ACIP met and recommended that “mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are preferred over the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 for all > 18 years of age.”
Because of this update, SEK Multi-County Health Department will no longer be offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as a COVID-19 vaccine option.
If you have questions, please call our office. If you received a J&J primary dose and would like a booster, we will still be offering the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines as an option. Both of these can be used as a booster for any COVID-19 vaccine primary series that has been given.
Investigation Of COVID-19 Cases Moves to State Level
KDHE will be transitioning the investigation of all COVID-19 cases from the local level to the state level. The Local Health Department will still investigate other communicable diseases as they occur, but not COVID-19. At the present, the Local Health Department works with schools and long term care facilities on COVID-19 cases as they come, on outbreaks, and on contact tracing. KDHE investigates a majority of the others, but this change will move all COVID-19 cases to the state level. We will continue to be in contact with the schools and long term care facilities until this transition is complete.

If someone has tested positive and has questions, they may call their Local Health Department, but otherwise if they would like answers on when they should return to work, school, etc. please call the COVID-19 hotline (866)534-3463.

Also, we will be adding a link to our website for COVID-19 cases by county for those interested but will no longer be able to post a weekly update of active COVID-19 cases due to this transition. Here is the link: https://coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas

Please stay home if you are sick!!
—
Rebecca Johnson BSN, RN

SEK Multi-County Health Department

Administrator/SEK Local Health Officer

*524 S. Lowman, Ft. Scott, KS 66701

P(620)223-4464 F(620)223-1686

[email protected]

Area News, Church news, Health Care

Area Missionaries Home on Furlough From Haiti

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Dr. Jim and Sandy Wilkins.

A former Girard medical doctor and his wife shared some of their experiences as medical missionaries to Haiti on Dec. 18 at Girard’s Public Library.

Dr. Jim and Sandy Wilkins have served in Haiti since 1999 and currently have approximately 35,000 patients in the area they serve west of the capital city, Port Au Prince. They are home visiting family for two weeks.

Haiti Health Ministries is located in Gressier.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and conditions have deteriorated even further since the assassination of the country’s president this year, Sandy said.

Haiti, taken from BIng.

The COVID Pandemic has curtailed the normal amount of volunteers that the ministry has seen in the past.

The current need is a maintenance person and other Christian mission-minded volunteers, Jim said.

To learn more about the ministry:

https://www.haitihealthministries.org/

 

 

COVID-19, Government, Health Care, Kansas

KDHE Amends Travel & Exposure Related Quarantine List

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list to remove the countries of Austria, Belgium, Cayman Islands, Czechia, Gibraltar, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Slovakia and Slovenia. The country of Andorra has been added to the travel quarantine list. An unvaccinated individual should quarantine if they meet the following criteria:

  • Traveled between Nov. 4 and Dec. 17 to Slovenia.
  • Traveled between Nov. 18 and Dec. 17 to Austria, Cayman Islands and Gibraltar.
  • Traveled between Dec. 2 and Dec. 17 to Belgium, Czechia, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Netherlands and Slovakia.
  • Traveled on or after Dec. 17 to Andorra.
  • Attendance at any out-of-state or in-state mass gatherings of 500 or more where individuals do not socially distance (6 feet) and wear a mask.
  • Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15, 2020.

The next travel quarantine list update will be sent out during the first week of January.

The travel and mass gathering quarantine period is seven days with a negative test result or 10 days without testing, with release from quarantine on Day 8 and Day 11, respectively. Further information on quarantine periods can be found on KDHE’s website.

For those traveling internationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring testing within three days of flights into the U.S. For further information on this and other requirements, visit their website.

For those who are fully vaccinated (meaning it has been greater than two weeks since they completed their vaccinations) they are not required to quarantine regarding travel or mass gatherings if they meet all of the following criteria:

  • Are fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2- dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine).
  • Have remained asymptomatic since the travel.

Persons who do not meet the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel or mass gatherings.

Additionally, people with previous COVID-19 disease are not required to quarantine following travel if they meet all of the following criteria:

  • Have evidence of a previous infection supported by a positive PCR or antigen test
  • Are within 6 months following infection. If an investigation was done documenting the date that symptoms resolved, or the date isolation measures were discontinued for asymptomatic patients, then the 6-month period can start from that end date. If those dates are not available, then the period will start from the date of the positive laboratory test. A serology or antibody test may not be substituted for a laboratory report of a viral diagnostic test.
  • Have remained asymptomatic since the travel

Persons who do not meet all three of the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel.

The travel quarantine list is determined using a formula to evaluate new cases over a two-week period, then adjusted for population size to provide a case rate per 100,000 population. This provides a number that can then be compared to the rate in Kansas. Locations with significantly higher rates — approximately 3x higher — are added to the list.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.

COVID-19, Government, Health Care, Kansas

First confirmed case of Omicron variant detected by State Lab

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COVID-19 Courtesy photo.

 

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) today announced that the state Health and Environmental Laboratories has found the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in one Kansas resident.

The Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories are screening all current positive PCR COVID-19 samples received at the lab to look for a specific genetic characteristic that would indicate the Omicron variant. Any samples that screen positive will be sequenced for confirmation of the Omicron variant. Additionally, the lab sequences a random sample of PCR positive COVID-19 samples regardless of whether they pass this screening process. This multi-pronged approach led to the detection of the variant.

“Since the Omicron variant was classified as a Variant of Concern, KDHE’s Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories has been working to identify the variant in the state. Through genomic sequencing, they were able to confirm the first case of the Omicron variant in Kansas,” Janet Stanek, Acting Secretary, said. “The detection of the variant does not come as a surprise. This virus is highly infectious and transmittable. We must do our part to protect ourselves and those around us by using the tools available to us.”

The individual with the Omicron variant is a vaccinated adult in Franklin County. This individual has not received a booster dose. No additional details will be released to protect the privacy of the individual.

Health officials urge Kansans to use the following tools to protect against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.

  • Get vaccinated and boosted. Vaccines remain the best tool to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging. The three authorized COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalizations, and death. Scientists expect the vaccines to prevent serious illness, hospitalizations, and death in people infected with the Omicron variant. COVID-19 vaccines are now authorized for people ages 5 and over. The COVID-19 booster shots are authorized for all individuals ages 16 and over. To find a vaccine near you, visit Vaccines.gov.
  • Wear a mask. Masks offer protection against all variants. It is recommended that people wear a well-fitting mask in public indoor settings in Kansas, where COVID-19 transmission remains high, regardless of vaccination status.
  • Get tested. If you are sick or have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, it is recommended that you get tested for COVID-19. COVID-19 tests are available across Kansas. Go to KnowBeforeYouGoKS.com to find a free testing location near you.

    At-home tests are available for purchase at grocery stores and pharmacies. These can be used at home, work or anywhere and can provide rapid results. If a positive result is received through an at-home test, individuals should follow up with a health care provider about a confirmation test.

  • Social distance. When in public settings, stay at least 6 feet from other people, especially if you are at higher risk of getting sick.

Government, Health Care, Kansas

KDHE Launches New Initiatives to Address Maternal Mortality

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has been selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women’s Health to receive funding as part of the State, Local, Territorial, and Tribal Partnership Programs to Reduce Maternal Deaths due to Violence. Additionally, KDHE, in partnership with Kansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative (KPQC), has been accepted to enroll into the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) for the October 2021 cohort. The Kansas maternal mortality rate of 14.8 (2014-2018) is 29.8% higher than the Healthy People 2020 goal of 11.4 maternal deaths per 100,0000 live births. These initiatives will help address the urgent matter of maternal mortality in Kansas.

“These initiatives will provide vital education and training to patients and providers across the state of Kansas,” said Janet Stanek Acting Secretary. “We are thankful for the ongoing collaboration with our partners across the state to implement these key initiatives to help in reducing the maternal mortality rate.”

Maternal Anti-Violence Innovation and Sharing Project

Through Kansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee (KMMRC) case reviews of maternal deaths in Kansas between 2016-2018, homicide was the second leading cause of maternal deaths with substance use disorder and/or mental health contributing to more than half of all pregnancy-associated deaths.

KDHE will work collaboratively with partners at the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCSDV), Kansas Connecting Communities (KCC), the KPQC and the KMMRC to launch the Maternal Anti-Violence Innovation and Sharing (MAVIS) Project to reduce maternal deaths in Kansas due to homicide and suicide.

The MAVIS Project will continue to build and expand on the success of the KMMRC to gather additional data related to violent maternal deaths. Additionally, the MAVIS Project will provide cross-training to perinatal care providers and domestic violence service providers related to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, perinatal substance use and intimate partner violence.

Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health

KMMRC has determined that approximately one in four deaths of women during or within one year of pregnancy were pregnancy-related, and over 90% of these deaths were preventable.

The Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health will implement a maternal quality initiative project based on their Postpartum Discharge Transition Patient Safety Bundle. It offers a national forum to exchange innovative ideas and a resource for continuous improvement in maternal safety and quality.

Additional Maternal Health Initiatives

KDHE has partnered with KPQC to launch the Fourth Trimester Initiative (FTI), a statewide effort focused on improving maternal health and decreasing maternal morbidity and mortality for all Kansas mothers. FTI uses a three-pronged collaborative approach to address maternal health by including the patient, private and public sectors in education and awareness efforts, including over 25 birthing facilities across the state.

KDHE’s Maternal Warning Signs Initiative (MWS), a component of the FTI project, provides patient, partner and community education throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period on key topics such as the signs of preterm birth and stillbirth, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and warning signs of life-threatening pregnancy-related complications.

More information on maternal and child health is available on our website, kdheks.gov/c-f/mch.htm.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Health Care

Update on CHC/SEK in Fort Scott

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Krista Postai. Submitted photo.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas has been busy, among other things, with hiring, getting their new building secured and equipment purchased, and of course giving COVID-19 Vaccines and tests.

They will be announcing a new pediatrician coming to Fort Scott soon, according to Krista Postai, CEO, once she has secured her Kansas license.

“She is a very skilled and personable young woman who we interviewed three years ago, just out of residency, and now has decided this would be a much better option than practicing in Missouri where she is now,” Postai said.

New Building Site Is Secured

CHC secured the parking lot by blocking off entrances at their new building as 2322 S. Main.

“We secured the parking lot of the Price Chopper building to reduce the wear and tear on the parking lot and reduce our liability,” Postai said.  “Work on the interior will begin in earnest in early 2022 for completion by December 2022, so we can get moved before our lease expires.”

The Price Chopper building, 2322 S. Main.

New Equipment

“A new CT Scanner and X-ray equipment has been ordered for our new building and will be delivered once the space is ready,” she said. “We are now installing a CT Scanner at our Pittsburg clinic which will be ready to use in January.”

 

COVID-19 Self Test Kits Available To Employers, Organizations

“We have received thousands of Quidel brand home self-testing kits from the Health and Resource Administration Services Administration(HRSA) for COVID, that we will be distributing, free, through our clinics,” she said.

The mission of HRSA is to improve health outcomes and achieve health equity through access to quality services, a skilled health workforce, and innovative, high-value programs, according to https://www.hrsa.gov/about/strategic-plan/index.html

CHC sent 200 kits to  Fort Scott Community College last week and will send a supply to local employers or organizations with a need to test to protect others, she said.

“Organizations needing kits, there are two tests to each kit, can request them by emailing [email protected]  she said. “There are no tracking or reporting requirements although anyone testing positive is urged to get a confirmatory test through our clinics. The tests in the kits take about 15 minutes for results.”

Sliding fee discounts and financial assistance is available to eligible patients, as stated on the front door of the CHC/SEK Clinic in Fort Scott.

COVID Vaccine

“COVID is still very much with us, we have patients in the hospital in Pittsburg and had a COVID-related death (last) weekend,” Robert Poole, CHC Communications and Marketing Director said. “I know we are all COVID-19 information-fatigued, however as we go into the holidays and begin travels and visit family it’s important to be cautious and be safely vaccinated.”

“CHC/SEK just hit 58,000 vaccines delivered so far last Monday morning,” he said. “Our vaccine teams have been working tirelessly to protect our communities.”

“We have plenty of vaccines available today,” he said. “You can receive a shot in our walk-in clinics and we encourage our patients to schedule their COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters through our website. (chcsek.org) Scheduling your shots through the website helps us to allocate vaccines to the clinics that need them and group vaccinations together to minimize vaccine waste.”

CHC has Pfizer vaccines for children ages 5 through 17 years old.

“Children need protection from COVID-19 for their health and the health of their friends, siblings, parents, and grandparents,” he said. “The contagious Delta variant, emerging Omicron variant, and more in-person indoor activities means that COVID is still spreading and there is a risk for getting sick.”

For boosters, anyone 18 years or older can choose either a Pfizer or Moderna booster six months after their last dose. The wait is two months for anyone who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine to receive a booster.

For more information: 620.223.8040.

The front door of the Community Health Center of
Southeast Kansas at Fort Scott.
Bourbon County, COVID-19, Government, Health Care

SEK Health Department: All Vaccines Available

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Rebecca Johnson, SEKMCHD Director.

The Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department has all 3 COVID-19 vaccines available at their offices.

To get vaccinated,  call for an appointment.

“Things are seeming to pick up with children getting vaccinated, but there are still more adults getting vaccinated than children,” Rebecca Johnson, administrator, said. “I’m glad for the increase in children’s vaccinations but wish we’d see more getting the shot. This will decrease quarantines and time missed from school and work, that is something encouraging for parents!”

“There’s quite a bit of information for parents online about safety of the vaccine for children. I recommend reviewing information from the CDC.”

“With any variant, there is always fear of the unknown, but we are monitoring this new variant (Omicron) and staying up to date with what information KDHE has to provide, the CDC, the other Health Departments in the state as well as information we get from our bordering states. I would recommend our residents stay vigilant in their mitigation against COVID-19, stay home if they’re aware they have been exposed to the virus and stay home if sick! ”

The department is located at 524 S. Lowman, Ft. Scott, KS 66701

Phone (620)223-4464, Fax (620)223-1686

From  the Kansas Department of Health and Environment:

“No confirmed cases have been identified in Kansas or the United States to date. This variant is new, and it is still unknown how transmissible or contagious this variant is. It is unclear how quickly it will spread, but it has been found in 17 countries already and we should assume that it is only a matter of time before it will be found in the United States. KDHE will continue to sequence positive COVID-19 samples to look for the Omicron variant.

With over 64% of the eligible population fully vaccinated, Kansas is more prepared for Omicron than previous variants. Experts continue to believe that the COVID-19 vaccine will continue to protect those who are vaccinated against severe disease and death. The COVID-19 vaccine is available for all individuals aged five years and over. The vaccine booster dose is available for all adults aged 18 and over. Boosters increase the strength of your antibody response, so even if the virus mutates, a boost makes it more likely that your antibodies can prevent you from getting sick or seriously ill, even with the new variant. If you are six months past your second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two months past your J&J vaccine, get boosted now.

As we continue to learn more about the Omicron variant, taking steps to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus remains the same. Kansans should receive the COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot, wear a mask in public indoor settings, wash their hands frequently, physically distance from others as much as possible, stay home if they feel sick, and get tested if they have been exposed to COVID-19 disease or have symptoms.”

 

 

 

COVID-19, Government, Health Care, Kansas

KDHE Announces Changes to Kansas COVID-19 Testing Strategy

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~ As KDHE shifts to a sustainable, long-term plan to support COVID-19 monitoring, testing will remain free and available to the general public ~

TOPEKA – Following the recent release of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) updated Employer Testing Playbook, KDHE is announcing upcoming changes to its COVID-19 testing strategy that ensure testing remains accessible to all Kansans across the State.

As widespread COVID-19 vaccination continues to prevent serious illness and death, the virus is expected to continue to circulate in the near future, not unlike the flu. Testing remains an important tool to identify the virus and protect Kansan communities against its spread.

“Testing has become an increasingly important way in which those who choose to be unvaccinated may still be able to work, attend events, and travel,” said Ashley Goss, Acting Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “This is especially critical as more businesses and employers have begun requiring either proof of vaccination or demonstration of a negative COVID-19 test with greater frequency.”

However, as COVID-19 continues to be present in our communities, it is no longer sustainable for public health to fund testing alone. KDHE initially allocated $141M of federal grant funding to make COVID-19 testing accessible for all Kansans, including support for commercial and university labs to help expand processing and sampling capacity. The surge of infections due to the Delta variant significantly depleted this budget in a shorter timeframe than expected.

As a result, and to ensure Kansans have uninterrupted access to crucial COVID-19 testing, KDHE is implementing the next phase of its COVID-19 testing strategy, which is intended to reduce the State’s costs for its testing program while ensuring it can continue into 2022.

These changes will also mean employers, health insurers, and individuals are going to be increasingly asked to pay for COVID-19 testing, as they would with testing for most other communicable diseases. Moving forward, access to COVID-19 testing will be a shared responsibility of both the public and private sector. To ensure adequate time for testing partners to transition, KDHE has approached state and federal bodies to secure additional funding for continuity of testing operations through March 2022.

Free COVID-19 testing will continue to be available across Kansas for those who are experiencing symptoms or have potential exposures to COVID-19 in their communities. To get a COVID-19 test through KDHE’s mass testing sites, the network of Community and Volunteer Testing Partners, and Local Health Departments, Kansans can access a full list of sites offering free testing at KnowBeforeYouGoKS.com. The following options remain available for free testing across the State, with availability dependent on need as well as state and federal funding:

  • Mass testing sites: KDHE will continue to offer free COVID-19 PCR tests at 9 mass testing sites in Johnson, Wyandotte, Douglas, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Riley counties
  • Employer testing: KDHE will continue employer testing for those previously enrolled in the COVID-19 employer testing program, supporting biweekly testing for 10% of employees. KDHE is working with state and federal bodies to secure funding to support this program through March 2022, at which point it will be phased out. Any changes to this timeline will be communicated as clearly and early as possible.
  • Community Testing Partner Program and Volunteer Testing Partner Program: Free rapid antigen tests will continue to be offered as long as supplies are available by over 100 partner organizations enrolled in the program in more than 80 counties across Kansas. KDHE is working with state and federal bodies to secure funding to support this program through at least March 2022. Any changes to availability of testing supplies or the program will be communicated as clearly and early as possible.
  • Local Health Departments: KDHE will continue to support Local Health Departments that offer free COVID-19 PCR tests to Kansans in their communities
  • K-12 schools: KDHE will continue to fund free testing for students and staff at schools that are participating in the school testing program. Schools not currently enrolled in the school testing program can contact Sarah Allin at [email protected].
  • Long Term Care Facilities: Facilities have the option of receiving free surveillance testing through a national vendor and / or to modify existing contracts with lab vendors to include billing insurance for diagnostic testing
  • Outbreaks: KDHE will continue to offer free testing in response to outbreaks in a facility or organization

In addition to KDHE free testing sites, Kansans can receive free testing at pharmacies and retailers that are part of the federal Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program. Other options for testing that may require insurance include pharmacies, primary care provider clinics, and FQHCs. Individuals can also purchase over the counter antigen tests at many retail grocery stores and pharmacies across Kansas.

For additional information on updates to Kansas’ testing strategy or to find a free testing site, visit KnowBeforeYouGoKS.com.

Government, Health Care, Kansas

Use Antibiotics Wisely

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Governor Kelly and KDHE Ask Kansans to Use Antibiotics Wisely

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly proclaimed Nov. 18–24 as Use Antibiotics Wisely Week in Kansas. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is asking health care providers and Kansans to use antibiotics wisely to help protect from the threat of growing resistance. This one-week observance led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promotes awareness of antibiotic resistance (AR) and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use across the United States.

“It will take everyone to do their part in ensuring the proper use of antibiotics,” said Secretary Lee Norman, M.D., Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “Utilizing antibiotics only when appropriate will help decrease the amount of antibiotic resistance infections across the state, further protecting all Kansans.”

Antibiotic awareness does not mean stopping the use of antibiotics; it means improving the way antibiotics are prescribed and used – when necessary and appropriate.

Since the 1940s, antibiotics have been used to treat patients with bacterial infections, significantly reducing the number of related illnesses and deaths. But now, more than 75 years later, antibiotics have been overused and misused to the point that the bacteria the antibiotics are designed to kill have adapted to them, making the drugs less effective, according to the CDC. In fact, some organisms have become so resistant that there are almost no medications that can successfully treat the infections.

The CDC finds that more than one-third of all antibiotics prescribed or otherwise used in the U. S. are either not needed or the antibiotic does not match the germ. Antibiotics are not effective for viruses, such as colds, most sore throats and many sinus infections.

Antibiotic resistance is an ongoing major threat to public health, creating limitations on available treatments for bacterial infections and jeopardizing the ability of healthcare professionals to fight infectious diseases. Additionally, AR increases 4-fold or more when antibiotics are misused for viral infections such as COVID-19 giving this pandemic the potential to kill many more Kansans indirectly by driving antibiotic resistant infections.

Each year, more than 2.8 million people in the United States contract AR infections and more than 35,000 of those people die. Kansas is the 8th highest antibiotic prescribing state with 904 antibiotic prescriptions per 1,000 population, and in the bottom three states in the nation for implementing antibiotic stewardship programs in our healthcare facilities. Antibiotic stewardship (AS) is the effort to improve prescription and use of antibiotics. It is critical that not only health care providers include AS in their practice, but also that all of become stewards of appropriate use.

Here are ways Kansans can help:

  • Do not request that your doctor prescribe antibiotics.
  • Antibiotics may have side effects. When your doctor says you do not need an antibiotic, taking one may do more harm than good.
  • Only take antibiotics that are prescribed for you and take the whole course as described. Do not share or use leftover antibiotics. Antibiotics treat specific types of infections. Taking the wrong medicine may delay correct treatment and allow bacteria to multiply.

To learn more about antibiotic resistance, visit UseAntibioticsWisely.com.