The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has announced plans to end funding of COVID-19 testing as of November 30th.   That has Sedgwick County officials concerned about continued testing in the community.

County manager Tom Stolz explained the situation to county commissioners at a staff meeting Tuesday.  He said the state has provided funding to cover the cost of testing through a lab site at Wichita State University.   When that funding ends, the lab will have to bill government, businesses and schools for the testing cost, and he said that will create a financial hardship.

Commissioner David Dennis said WSU officials told him the lab has processed 6,000 to 12,000 tests per week.   Their weekly cost of testing adds up to $13 million over a six month period, and that amount would have to be provided to ensure testing for the remainder of the school year.

Commissioners have directed staff to send a letter to Governor Laura Kelly, state lawmakers and KDHE to stress the importance of continued testing in the community and ask if federal funding could be used to cover the costs of that testing.

Sedgwick County will work with Wichita State to get an analysis and breakdown of community testing done through the lab.