WASHINGTON — Columbia River Community Health Services in Boardman is receiving more than $162,000 to expand local COVID-19 testing, according to a press release.<\/p>\n
The allocation was announced Friday by Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden as a part of $9 million in funding for 30 different Oregon hospitals, health facilities and county governments.<\/p>\n
“The lack of coronavirus test capacity throughout Oregon and nationwide leaves far too many people with uncertainty about this public health threat in their communities,” Wyden said in a statement. “I am gratified these 30 medical providers in our state will receive these urgently needed resources to protect themselves and the Oregonians counting on them for care.”<\/p>\n
A plan adopted by the Morrow County Board of Commissioners for reopening businesses noted that Columbia River Health has contracted with Interpath Labs in Pendleton for testing.<\/p>\n
According to the release, the health facilities can use the funding for “testing and testing-related activities to best address the needs of their local communities.” This includes purchasing personal protective equipment, staff training, outreach, laboratory services and contact tracing.<\/p>\n
The funding can also be used to expand drive-up and walk-in testing services, the release stated.<\/p>\n
The funds will be allocated by the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, and is being distributed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.<\/p>\n
“Expanding testing capacity is an integral step in our fight to treat, and eventually reopen, our communities,” Merkley said in a statement. “I hope this winds up being a down payment on the national strategy and national resources for widespread testing and contact tracing that the country is desperately waiting for.”<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON — Columbia River Community Health Services in Boardman is receiving more than $162,000 to expand local COVID-19 testing, according to a press release. The allocation was announced Friday by Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden as a part of $9 million in funding for 30 different Oregon hospitals, health facilities and county […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-in-the-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n