COVID-19 testing for the homeless will take place on Thursday and Friday in Wyandotte County, according to the Unified Government Health Department.
Testing will take place at two locations on Thursday and Friday:
• Frank Williams Outreach Center, 7th and Nebraska, Kansas City, Kansas, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. July 23 and 24;
• Cross-Lines Community Outreach, food kitchen, 7th and Shawnee, Kasnas City, Kansas, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. July 23 and 24.
Test results will be available at the testing locations on Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28.
“We know that people experiencing homelessness are at increased risk for serious illness from Covid-19. It is vital for us as a community to help keep them safe from the virus,” said Rob Santel, director of client services with Cross-Lines Community Outreach. “Increasing access to testing opportunities for this vulnerable population is essential to stop the spread.”
“It’s important to provide testing that specifically aims to serve people experiencing homelessness, and to hold the testing events at locations where people can access other services they may need. Meeting people in the community, where they are already receiving services, allows us to identify vulnerable people who might need isolation or critical care,” said Rachel Erpelding, senior director of housing and employment services with Wyandot Center for Community Behavioral Healthcare. Frank Williams Outreach Center is a service of Wyandot Center.
“It’s not just about testing, but how do people quarantine while they wait for their results, or isolate if they test positive? That’s why we’ve partnered with a hotel in the area to provide a sheltering option for people who get tested at these events,” said Nicole Garner, COVID-19 project coordinator with the Unified Government Public Health Department. “As we continue to expand COVID-19 testing, this is not only critically important for those experiencing homelessness, but we are also exploring how this can help those who may have challenges isolating themselves from others in their household, like a large family in a small space with a shared bathroom.”
These events are done in partnership with: the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Department of Emergency Management, Kansas Department for Children and Families, Frank Williams Center, Cross-Lines Community Outreach, Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness (GKCCEH), Care Beyond the Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department, the Unified Government Public Health Department, and the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force.
- Information from UG Health Department
State COVID-19 cases increase by 770
Kansas reported 24,104 positive cases from 103 counties, with 308 deaths, on Wednesday morning, an increase of 770 cases since Monday. There was one more death since Monday.
Wyandotte County had 3,822 total cumulative COVID-19 cases at 1 p.m. Wednesday, as compared to 3,750 cases at 1 p.m. Tuesday, an increase of 72 cases since Tuesday, according to the UG’s COVID-19 website. There was one more death since 1 p.m. Tuesday, with the total now at 90.
Johnson County had the highest number of cases in Kansas, with 4,158 reported Wednesday morning, according to state figures.
The University of Kansas Health System reported the number of COVID-19 patients on Wednesday morning was 35, down one from 36 on Tuesday. There were 16 patients in the intensive care unit, the same number as Tuesday, and six on ventilators, the same as Tuesday. Five recovered patients were discharged and four patients were admitted. According to doctors, the length of stay for patients is decreasing on the average. Doctors said they believed the hospital has bed space, personal protective equipment and medications to handle 40 to 45 COVID-19 patients.
For more information about Frank Williams Outreach Center visit facebook.com/FrankWilliamsOutreachCenter
For more information about Cross-Lines Community Outreach visit cross-lines.org
For more information about COVID-19 in Wyandotte County, including the latest data and resources for residents and businesses, visit wycokck.org/COVID-19, or call 3-1-1.