Our Vision: Healthy People in Healthy Communities
Adams, Clay, Nuckolls, and Webster Counties
The four-county South Heartland health district is experiencing high volumes of COVID-19 testing, with over 1,300 tests conducted in one recent week. Testing sites have been swamped with requests for testing appointments. There are shortages of some types of COVID-19 testing supplies and some sites are unable to keep up with demand. In addition, employee requests for testing result confirmations and letters from providers required by some employers are adding to the health care provider burden.
To help reduce this burden, SHDHD is requesting that employers reconsider their testing and testing documentation requirements. SHDHD staff are willing to provide guidance and walk employers through options, such as accepting provider determination of presumptive positive COVID-19 (for symptomatic individuals with close contact exposure to a test-confirmed positive case), self-report of home tests by employees, instituting a worksite testing program, and/or temporarily waiving provider notes for confirming absence or presence of COVID-19 illness. Employers are welcome to contact South Heartland District Health Department at 1-887-238-7595 to discuss specific circumstances or concerns.
For more information contact: Michele Bever, Ph.D., MPH, Executive Director at
402-462-6211 / 1-877-238-7595.
