Commission delays decision on virus tester as demand soars

MOUND CITY – On Monday, Dec. 5, Linn County Commission Chair Jim Johnson and Commissioner Rick James decided to wait until next week to make a decision on renewing the warranty for the Cepheid testing machine warranty at the health department. They wanted to wait until Commissioner Danny McCullough was back and they had the figures for the tests done with the machine.

Linn County Health Department Administrator Missy Lancaster had presented the one-year renewal of nearly $4,800 to them. She told them that the warranty covered all problems and replacement of the four cartridges in the machine. She said that one cartridge costs around $9,000.

The machine tests for COVID, RSV, and Influenzas A and B. Lancaster said that the machine was the only one in the county that tests for all four viruses.

Lancaster highly recommended that the commission purchase the warranty and she will bring back the number of tests taken the past year to the commission next week.

“Our phone was ringing of the hook this morning, people wanting to be tested,” said Lancaster.

Lancaster said that the health department gave flu, COVID, and childhood immunizations last week.