Greene Co. health dept. will end COVID-19 testing, close call center on May 12

Susan Szuch, Springfield News-Leader
·2 min read

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Department of Health and Human Services declared a federal public health emergency. The PHE is currently expected to end on May 11, and will impact some of the services offered by the Springfield Greene-County Health Department.

Here's a run-down on what is being impacted:

The health department won't offer COVID-19 testing any more.

Federal reimbursement for COVID-19 testing will end when the PHE does. That means starting May 12, SGCHD will not longer offer COVID-19 testing. The map of testing locations and online schedule system will also go offline.

"People are encouraged to contact their doctor or another health care provider if they have symptoms of COVID-19 and need testing. Home testing kits are also available at most pharmacies and drug stores," the press release said.

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The health department's COVID-19 call center will shut down.

The COVID-19 Call Center operated by the Health Department will close on May 12. People with questions about all COVID-19 related topics and services should visit health.springfieldmo.gov or vaccine417.com.

The health department's COVID-19 dashboard will be taken down.

The end of the PHE will change how local data is collected and reported, so the SGCHD's COVID-19 dashboard will be taken down from the SGCHD website. For updated case counts and other COVID-19 data, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID Data tracker.

Can I still get a COVID-19 vaccine?

According to the press release, as long as there is supply available, the SGCHD will continue to offer the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost. SGCHD "anticipates being able to offer limited opportunities to obtain the vaccine through the summer months."

Visit vaccine417.com for more information on vaccination opportunities.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: End of public health emergency will impact Greene Co. health dept.