E911 Center dealing with COVID cases
LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ)- An increase in COVID cases here in Lexington is having an impact on the E-911 Center.
Several employees are currently out with cases and the center is having to make some changes to keep employees safe.
“It’s an inconvenience, but we have been fortunate,” says Jonelle Patton, the Director of E-911.
Patton says the center has had to move operations to a back up center, with ten employees currently out due to COVID.
“That’s about 15% of our staffing. We have normal days off. We have overtime, and in situations like these, that’s when we use our overtime. We have to put in place measures to ensure that operations go on as normal,” says Patton.
Despite the rise in cases, Patton says the center is still able to carry out its day-to-day operations of answering emergency calls and dispatching first responders.
This week, the Fayette County Health Department is reporting an increase in COVID cases, with 264 lab confirmed cases last week. Those numbers do not including at home tests. There were 9 new hospital admissions this week.
Health department spokesperson Kevin Hall contributes the increase to the new school year.
“We anticipated that there would be spikes in this. And now that you’re seeing schools back in session, colleges and universities, more gatherings,” says Hall.
Meantime, Patton says while it is an inconvenience to have employees out the center is in a far better place than they were a year ago. She says since that time they’ve been able to hire around 16 additional staff members, which comes in handy during situations like this.
“I anticipate it to go through probably sometime through next week. Just to give people who have not to work since this started, they can come and work there so theyr’e not exposed,” says Patton”hall wants to remind the community to help slow the spread of covid. He encourages people to wear masks in public places, wash their hands, and cover their coughs and sneezes.” >
The health department says anyone who has not yet been vaccinated, can continue getting their COVID-19 vaccine by same-day appointment every Monday-Thursday in the Public Health Clinic at 650 Newtown Pike. Call 859-288-2483 to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine.
