A contract between county government and a Covington, Kentucky company will result in free COVID-19 tests becoming available in the months ahead.
The Bartholomew County Commissioners approved a lease agreement that will allow Gravity Diagnostics, LLC to use the 1,800-square-foot former health department building at 2675 Foxpointe Drive for COVID-19 testing. Late last year, the nursing division moved to a larger facility located just a few doors away at 2625 Foxpointe Drive.
Last July, the state of Indiana signed the agreement with Gravity Diagnostics to provide reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for COVID-19. The Kentucky firm has already established more than 20 testing sites in Indiana, and has the capacity to expand up to 45 sites as the need warrants, according to the company’s website. All Bartholomew County government was required to do was to secure a place for the company to administer the testing.
While the six-month agreement is good from Feb. 1 to July 31, it could be extended if the state approves a longer testing period, according to Amanda Organist, director of nursing at the health department.
PCR testing is generally considered the most reliable test for COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can detect small amounts of the coronavirus’ genetic material in a specimen and works by amplifying, or making copies of the genetic material if any virus is present, the CDC stated. The results of the testing would be guaranteed by 5 p.m the next day, Organist said.
In contrast, there are antigen or ‘rapid’ tests for COVID-19 that can provide results in about 15 minutes. However, the results tend to be less accurate.
Prior to last July, the state of Indiana had contracted out with Logistics Health Incorporated of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Known as Lhi.Care, the tests were administered at FairOaks Mall, county commissioner Carl Lienhoop said.
Since local government won’t have to lease or rent space for Gravity Diagnostics to operate, local taxpayers will save from $4,000 to $5,000 a month for six months, commissioner Larry Kleinhenz said.
Meanwhile, two registered nurses have been contracted to temporarily work with the nursing division. Organist said. One is Rachel Bryant, a veteran nurse who formerly worked at Camp Atterbury, while the other is Tracy Day, who is studying to earn her bachelor’s degree at IUPUC. Day has been hired to be a school liaison nurse for the department.
On Jan. 10, Organist announced that her department had received a $300,000 grant intended to hire up to three new temporary workers through the Crisis Cooperative Agreement Supplemental Work Force in School grant program.
