With the state’s rising COVID-19 numbers, Lucas County Health Center (LCHC) and Lucas County Public Health (LCPH) continue to make preparations for their facilities and county.
LCHC continues to take precautionary measures, including extra cleaning precautions, especially in high traffic areas, screening all staff members, cancelling unnecessary events and meetings, and encouraging staff to remain close to their home departments to limit potential exposure and spread.
“All patients are getting screened when they enter our building but most don’t meet the requirements to get tested,” said Joyce Dyer, Infection Control Manager. “We are continuing to follow Iowa Department of Public Health’s guidelines for screening and testing. As those update, our procedures do too.”
LCHC is open and operating as normal with all necessary healthcare services available. As of April 2, there are no confirmed COVID-19 cases in Lucas County and patients are advised to keep their appointments, especially if they are seeking medical care for serious illness, such as influenza, or chronic diseases. Patients and visitors should be prepared to be screened upon entry to the facility so we recommend that you arrive a few minutes early.
“We are continuing to work closely with Lucas County Public Health and have procedures set in place if and when we get a positive case,” said Brian Sims, Chief Executive Officer. “When we do get a case, we would encourage people not to panic. Our team continues to evaluate and prepare for COVID-19 in Lucas County and we are confident we are ready.”
In the event that a person does test positive, the person would either isolate at home or be treated in the hospital, depending on the severity of their symptoms. Public Health would work to identify anyone who had come into close contact with the person for 10-15 minutes at a distance of six feet or less within the past two weeks.
“Coming in close contact doesn’t necessarily mean being in the same room or walking by someone on the street,” said Mary Grismore, Lucas County Public Health.
For now, LCHC and LCPH would encourage community members to continue to frequently wash their hands, following social distancing guidelines, and only leave the house to go to work or to get necessary supplies.
For general questions or information on COVID-19, LCHC encourages the public to call 211 or visit www.cdc.gov or https://idph.iowa.gov