Internal report: Carson City has masks in stock, coronavirus test kits lacking

Carson City’s emergency operations center has sufficient stock of N95 masks to support healthcare workers, but test kits for the coronavirus remain in short supply, according to an internal report from Carson City Health and Human Services.

The Carson City Fire Department, which operates the city’s ambulance service, has a 2.8-month supply of N95 masks as well as a 4.2-month supply of ear-loop, or surgical, face masks and a 1.3-month supply of gowns, all based on a burn rate of 30 per day, according to Jessica Rapp, public information officer, CCHHS.

But, test kits are needed, according to the report.

“COVID-19 collection and testing supplies continue to be limited due to national shortages. Every effort is being made to secure these resources and test those that meet the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) testing criteria. These are the same testing criteria utilized by all healthcare testing entities within the Quad-County region,” reads the report.

CCHHS and the EOC serves Carson City, and Douglas, Lyon, and Storey counties, which they designate as the quad-county region. “There are currently shortages of surgical gowns and eye protection (including goggles and face shields) in the quad-counties. These are items that are in short supply nationwide,” according to the report.

The report does not provide exact numbers for tests kits or PPEs on hand.

“Those numbers are rapidly changing. By the time we report them, they will be inaccurate,” said Rapp.

The report notes that Serenity Mental Health in Carson City is holding a private testing event. According to Serenity, people interested in getting tested need to fill out a questionnaire available at its web site, https://www.serenitymentalhealth.org/.

The internal report is produced three times a week and is now being provided to the Board of Supervisors after Mayor Bob Crowell and other supervisors last week requested updates on the status of test kits and PPEs available to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

The call center is receiving about 100 calls a day and approximately 35 are routed to a registered nurse to see if the caller meets the criteria to be tested. As of Monday, the hotline had received a total of about 2,800 calls.

The emergency managers from the region are working on a cost share agreement to take to the county managers and developing a video with elected officials to deliver critical messages to the community, according to the report. Those managers and CCHHS are also working with the state Division of Emergency Management and the Army Corps of Engineers on medical surge worst-case scenario planning, including mass fatality and alternate care sites.

Guidance for restaurants on proper food handling and sanitization as well as directives made by Gov. Steve Sisolak is available to Carson City and Douglas County food establishments by phone at 775-887-2190.