Kossuth County testing frontline responders for COVID-19

Published by editor on Wed, 06/03/2020 - 8:51am

Frontline responders in the battle against COVID-19 in Kossuth County will be tested for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, June 3. Testing is only for eligible frontline workers and will not be made available to the public.

Those eligible for testing include personnel employed by Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Emergency Management, Law Enforcement Agencies, Kossuth Regional Health Center, Home Health and Hospice, Long Term Care Facilities (Nursing Homes and Exceptional Opportunities), and Assisted Living Facilities.

Kossuth County Public Health and Emergency Management say testing is critical to controlling the coronavirus and eventually easing restrictions that have halted daily life for most Americans.

Lynzie Nilles, Kossuth County Public Health Director, said Wednesday’s tests will help mitigate outbreaks at area facilities that house those most vulnerable to the novel coronavirus.

There are two types of testing for COVID-19. The Diagnostic or PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test is used to diagnose individuals who are currently ill with COVID-19. This is the test most people hear about, which uses a nasal swab to get a sample from a person’s nose or throat to determine if the individual has an active virus.

Serologic Testing, also known as the coronavirus antibody testing, are used to determine if an individual had been infected in the past with COVID-19.

As of Thursday, May 28, Iowa’s Coronavirus website showed Kossuth County with ten positive cases of COVID-19. While Kossuth County Emergency Management Coordinator, Dave Penton expects number of positive cases to rise once the testing is completed, he’s pleased that Kossuth County’s overall numbers have remained low.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever (a temperature of 100.4 or greater) and shortness of breath. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your health care provider before going into the office. The provider may have special instructions for you and will determine if you should be tested.