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Munson Army Health Center Begins Neighborhood Pop-up COVID Testing

By Jennifer Vitela, U.S. Army Combined Arms CenterJanuary 12, 2022

Sgt. Maj. Jay Sherer, Munson Army Health Center sergeant major, provides a nose swab for a COVID-19 test at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Jan. 11, 2022. Munson Army Health Center set up neighborhood COVID-19 testing sites for the Fort Leavenworth community. (U.S. Army photo by Audrey Chappell)
Sgt. Maj. Jay Sherer, Munson Army Health Center sergeant major, provides a nose swab for a COVID-19 test at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Jan. 11, 2022. Munson Army Health Center set up neighborhood COVID-19 testing sites for the Fort Leavenworth community. (U.S. Army photo by Audrey Chappell) (Photo Credit: Audrey Chappell, Combined Arms Center Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL

Munson Army Health Center is taking COVID testing out of the building and into the neighborhoods. In order to mitigate the COVID spread on Fort Leavenworth, Munson is offering periodic COVID-19 rapid antigen testing in the Fort Leavenworth Community neighborhoods. The COVID-19 rapid antigen test is self-administered and offered to any Fort Leavenworth resident, regardless of age or vaccine status.

“We have established the pop-up COVID testing in the housing areas to better serve our community. By conducting this test in the Fort Leavenworth community, we alleviated the need to call, schedule and come to Munson to get tested for COVID-19. This will reduce the overall risk to our community,” said Col. Garrick L. Cramer, Commander Munson Army Health Center.

COVID testing took place in the Fort Leavenworth Village neighborhoods on Tuesday, January 11.  Each housing area had a designated site.  The location was sent to Village Mayors who then distributed the information to residents. COVID is dictating pop-up dates at this time – they are scheduled with little advance notice to respond to the immediate needs of Fort Leavenworth residents. Information about upcoming pop-up sites will be published on the Munson Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/munsonhealth/) and TRICARE website (https://munson.tricare.mil/).

“We are expecting the local peak of the current variant in about 10 days. This community based testing (pop-up testing) provides a safe and close-to-home opportunity. We recommend anyone who has symptoms or has been exposed to COVID-19 to get tested at the community based testing site or call Munson at (913) 684-6250 for testing,” said LTC Elisa D. O’Hern, Deputy Commander for Clinical Services, Munson Army Health Center.

Although the COVID testing sites are outside, masks are required. There is no need for ID, an appointment or COVID symptoms to get a test. For anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days, testing is not recommended.

Munson is also offering COVID vaccinations for ages 12 and up and boosters for ages 16+ on 13 January from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The next pediatric COVID vaccinations for ages 5-11 will be held 27 January from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Frontier Conference Center, Fort Leavenworth.

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