Carson City Health and Human Services director addresses reader's concerns about local COVID-19 numbers, testing

Editor's Note: The following letter is from Nicki Aaker, Director of Carson City Health and Human Services, addressing concerns about local testing and numbers of COVID-19 cases that was addressed by Carson Now reader, Abby, who explained her own and her husband's situation. Go here to read the original story.

Thank you, Abby, for bringing your story to the forefront. Abby’s story was published on CarsonNow Saturday at 9:28 am. As the Director of Carson City Health and Human Services (CCHHS), I would like to address some of the issues that Abby has brought up.

Abby is absolutely correct that not everyone is getting tested. CCHHS and our healthcare partners continue to follow the testing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which takes into consideration if the person is a healthcare provider, a person’s age, whether he or she is hospitalized and underlying medical conditions.

For more information on the CDC’s guidance, the link is https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/clinical-criteria.html.

Within Nevada, there continues to be limited access to collection kits. There are two components to testing — there is the collection kit which consists of the swab and vial which is taken to a lab and the other component is the lab’s testing kit, which is not in short supply at this time.

Since Nevada now has additional labs that can process the swabs, there is more capacity for testing once the swab gets to the lab. There are multiple partners within the state attempting to address the shortage of collection kits.
Abby highlights information and precautions that have been communicated at the city, region, state, and federal levels that are very important to keep our communities safe.

Thank you, Abby, for reiterating this information. Stay home as much as possible, especially if you are sick or not feeling well.

However, if you need to continue to go to work or shop for necessities, do the following:

— Wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available;

— Wash your hands immediately when leaving the store and when getting home;

— Do not touch your face, especially if you are not in the safety of your own home;

— Clean all areas within your workspace, car, and home that are touched often with an approved cleaner that kills viruses;

— Look but don’t touch items unless you are going to buy them;

— Wash or wipe off any items purchased when you get home;

— Practice social distancing by giving yourself 6 feet of distance from others; and

— Please do not purchase more than you need in a week’s time so others have the opportunity to purchase items as well.

Please follow CCHHS on Facebook @CCHHS and Twitter @CCHealthEd for information to assist you in taking care of yourself and your family. Remember to eat healthy, drink plenty of water, and don’t forget to take care of your mental health. CCHHS’ website, gethealthycarsoncity.org, has information as well. Feel free to call the COVID-19 Hotline at 775-283-4789 to inquire about testing or for general questions.

I ask that everyone within the community follow the guidance above and in addition follow Governor Sisolak’s mandates and guidance. CCHHS is working very closely with his office during this pandemic. He is working hard to get Nevada the supplies needed to combat this virus and keep Nevada safe.

I would like to thank Abby for her story and her advice on how to keep our communities safe from a citizen’s viewpoint. Thank you to the residents within our communities (Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, and Story Counties) for their patience, understanding, and assistance during this time. Thank you to our partners in healthcare, emergency management, and law enforcement that are assisting all of us during this situation. Please remember there is a lot that we don’t know about this virus at this time and we are attempting to learn more on a daily basis.

Yours truly,
Nicki Aaker, Director
Carson City Health and Human Services