March 25, 2020 3:25 a.m.
Aviva Health has received just over $60,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to respond to and prepare for the local impact of COVID-19.
A release said the allocation was part of a nationwide funding stream of $100 million to support health centers across the country to address screening and testing needs, acquire medical supplies and boost telehealth capacity in response to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.
Chief Operating Officer for Aviva Health, Edward Larsen, said the organization began planning efforts related to coronavirus several weeks before the virus ever “encroached the boundaries of Douglas County”. He said the federal assistance is appreciated and the organization has confidence the federal and state governments will continue to support their efforts to protect the community and its healthcare workforce.
Larsen said “this supplemental funding comes at a crucial point for Aviva Health and Douglas County”. He said while Aviva is quietly optimistic early efforts to squash the local spread of the disease will prove effective, “we have to prepare for what might be an event that has an overwhelming impact on the local health care delivery system”.
Staff from Aviva have been helping with the local COVID-19 hotline, assisting at the drive through testing clinics at the fairgrounds, and a variety of other initiatives, according to the release.
It said Aviva has established a COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center. It includes internal staff and health partners throughout the county, Work includes information gathering, information sharing and crisis planning.
For more information go to www.aviva.health/coronavirus.