SW health district hosting COVID-19 testing

    Residents of the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD), which includes Chase County, have the chance for free testing for COVID-19 this week.
    The Nebraska National Guard will conduct the testing in Ogallala this Friday, May 8. The testing will be hosted by SWNPHD.
    The National Guard also conducted a testing Wednesday in McCook.
    Friday’s testing is open to all individuals from the nine-county health district and neighboring Nebraska county residents.  
    Appointments must be made. No walk-ins will be allowed. All persons interested in being tested must schedule an appointment by calling 308-345-4223.
    Health District Director Myra Stoney said mass testing is an important strategy to help identify hidden cases.
    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), data has shown that at least 25% of all cases of COVID-19 are asymptomatic, meaning they do not show any symptoms.
    Asymptomatic carriers may be spreading the disease without knowing it, Stoney said, which is also why wearing a mask in public is important to protect the people around you.
    For additional information on COVID-19 in southwest Nebraska, visit swhealth.ne.gov.
    As of Wednesday morning, there have been 11 cases in the entire SWNPHD and none in Chase County.