Carson City area COVID-19 update: 1,167 tests performed as of April 21 by all Quad region providers

The Quad-County Incident Management Team, comprised of representatives from Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, and Storey counties, and the Quad-County Multiagency Coordination Group continues to coordinate closely with and support Carson City Health and Human Services in the Quad-County COVID-19 Response.

The Quad-County Emergency Operations Center (Quad EOC), staffed by the Quad-County IMT, continues to support all operations of the health response as led by CCHHS. The Quad EOC streamlines communications, is the single point for resource ordering and requests, oversees the Quad-County COVID-19 Hotline, and provides the public information component. The Quad EOC structure allows CCHHS to focus on the health portion of the response while coordinating the other aspects of an incident response.

As of April 21,2020, there have been 1,167 tests performed by all providers in the Quad-County region. COVID-19 collection and testing supplies are now meeting the demands of those needing testing in the Quad-Counties.

CCHHS continues to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) priorities for testing, which are the same testing priorities utilized by all healthcare entities testing within the Quad-County region.

CCHHS has notified all healthcare partners that they can directly request testing kits form the Nevada State Lab. The Nevada State Public Health Laboratory (NSPHL) has been an incredible partner during this response and has been providing lab tests to CCHHS in support of testing for the Quad-Counties.

The Disease Prevention and Control Division of CCHHS is responsible for collecting and compiling COVID-19 data daily. Additionally, this unit contacts and monitors all positive cases and their close contacts daily until these individuals can be released from monitoring. These activities are completed for the Quad-County region.

This Division also maintains regular contact with similar agencies in the region including, but not limited to, Washoe County, El Dorado County, Alpine County, and State Office of Public Health Information and Epidemiology to ensure Quad-County residents tested in other locations are identified and supported throughout their monitoring period.

The MAC is monitoring bed availability and ventilator daily using data provided by our three Quad-County facilities and the Nevada Hospital Association through the Nevada Division of Emergency Management. These metrics allow emergency and public health managers to gauge system impacts.

The Salvation Army has been requested to help assist donation management in the Quad Counties. Needed items include:

— Medical gloves in original, unopened packaging
— Tyvek suits in original, unopened packaging
— Cloth face coverings

Food donations will be accepted in Carson City by The Salvation Army food bank, the Carson Valley Community Food Closet, the Healthy Communities Coalition in Lyon County, and the Community Chest in Storey County. The Quad EOC is not seeking monetary donations currently. If you can make an in-kind donation of any of the above items, please drop donations off at: 911 E. Second St., Carson City, NV 89701.

The following is a list of some of the actions CCHHS and the Quad EOC continue to do:

— Planning with regional, state and local health facilities for any type of medical surge.

— Planning for community and small-business recovery.

— Coordinating with Social Services to assist those quarantined who need assistance by providing help and support.

— Supporting a Joint Information Center (JIC) to provide consistent and efficient internal and external communications regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Providing timely information to county officials, first responders, healthcare partners, and community members.

For the most current updates and more information on COVID-19 visit: https://gethealthycarsoncity.org/novel-coronavirus-2019/

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath) contact your primary care provider. If your primary care provider is unable to assist you, or if you do not have one, call the Quad-County COVID-19 Hotline phone number at (775) 283-4789.