By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Even as the numbers for Reno County COVID-19 infections improve, it's important to note that there are still many more people that could be infected before anything approaching herd immunity could be reached.
"You need about 70% of people who have had the virus and then keep your immune system at a level that it's going to fight off the virus," said Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department. "We have seen that in some of the other areas that were hit harder."
In Reno County, only just over 30% of people have even been tested for COVID-19 to this point, but two new free testing sites went live on Friday.
"The Governor's plan was to test everybody in Kansas," Hammersmith said. "That helps us eliminate the spread by locating any cases and then having them isolate and quarantine."
The new sites in the parking lots of the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson and Simply Good Overstocks in South Hutchinson will be open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There will be no testing on December 24, 25 or January 1.