By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Monday afternoon at Big Creek Crossing in Hays, dozens of vehicles lined up for free drive-through COVID-19 testing.
Starting about 15 minutes later than planned, the first few cars moved through the line slowly. But soon after, the line was moving quicker and, by the second-day, participants were reporting only a short wait.
The testing is a partnership with Ellis County Health Department, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and @tourhealth.
“It’s kind of an exciting thing for Ellis County,” said ECHD Director Jason Kennedy. “Statewide, the governor has pushed a new agenda for testing — increased testing, and really testing for all — for the first time regardless of symptoms and really regardless of contact. It is just free testing.”
He said he was informed of the arrival Sunday, but the short notice did not hamper the number of people there taking advantage of the testing when it began Monday afternoon.
“I think they had a good amount of people show up (Monday) and I think we will continue to see high numbers of testing,” Kennedy said.
While testing will help curtail the spread locally by virtue of people knowing if they have contracted COVID-19, he said it is up to individuals to use that information to influence their behavior in a positive way.
“I think that the biggest thing is that people continue to do their part,” Kennedy said.
He said the test does not keep anyone safe, but following recommendations can.
“A test just tells you if the virus is there, whether it is present, or not,” Kennedy said. “It is up to the individual at that point to make sure that they use that information to guide good decisions.”
Those that receive a positive test, he said, should not wait on the health department or a medical professional to begin quarantine.
“When you get those results, isolate yourself immediately,” Kennedy said.
And those awaiting test results should isolate as well, until a negative result is returned, he said.
“We find far too often that people go to get tested and they don’t isolate,” he said of those that receive a test without symptoms or known COVID-19 contact. “When they come back positive that means they have potentially exposed all of those people while they are waiting on their test results.”
Testing is scheduled to continue until 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and will resume after the holiday at 8:30 a.m. Friday and will continue until 4:30 p.m.
While no details have yet been released, Kennedy said the testing will also continue next week.
“The testing will not leave Ellis County,” Kennedy said. “It will be here for a while.”
When further information about testing becomes available he said it would be shared with the public.
“We will keep people posted via press release and our Facebook page,” Kennedy said.
Expanded testing also means COVID-19 rates and the number of positives could significantly change, but sudden jumps in numbers are secondary to the expanded testing mission.
“The goal of testing is to isolate COVID and hopefully to keep people from spreading it,” Kennedy said.
He said the average percent of positives will almost certainly be impacted as results are returned, but the outcome is more important than the change in data.
“We put so much energy and stock in numbers and we forget those numbers are impacts,” Kennedy said. “So, if we can get people identified early on that have COVID that have not at that point spread it, we can isolate them, and hopefully over the course of time, lessen the impact of that individual.”