Reynolds Defends Her Matrix Tools Used To Combat COVID-19
(Des Moines) — Unfortunately, the statistics associated with the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to climb. As of Tuesday, Iowa public health officials reported 102 new confirmed cases, bringing the state’s total to 1,048 cases with the death toll now at 26.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is defending her use of a tool to help guide the state’s response to the outbreak that critics have called arbitrary and unscientific. The matrix developed by the Iowa Department of Public Health looks at four data points in six regions of the state. If any one region hits 10 on a 12-point scale, the matrix calls for the potential implementation of
a shelter-in-place order. Critics include a top infectious disease researcher and other medical experts. They argue that the data points are backward-looking rather than preventive because they trigger stricter interventions only after more people are infected and hospitalized.
Nursing Homes Have The Most Cases Of Coronavirus
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Department of Public Health has released the identities of two nursing homes where outbreaks of the coronavirus have infected residents and contributed to a large share of the state’s known infections. The facilities were identified Tuesday as the McCreedy Home in
Washington County and Premier Estates of Toledo in Tama County. Health officials had withheld that information from the public Monday. Those homes and Heritage Specialty Care in Cedar Rapids are the sites of the three outbreaks at long-term care facilities confirmed in Iowa. Under the state’s definition, that means three or more residents have tested positive.
Reynolds says a significant percentage of coronavirus cases are at long-term care facilities.
Conservation Board Executive Explains How Governor’s Proclamation Will Affect County Parks
(Le Mars) — Among the businesses and recreation activities Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has asked to be shut down includes campgrounds. Nick Beeck is the Executive Director with the Plymouth County Conservation Board. He says campground rental is the main source of income for the county parks. Beeck
says during the short-term, the governor’s ruling won’t have much of an impact on Plymouth County Conservation Board’s campgrounds since they are not scheduled to open until May 1st.
Beeck says although the county’s campground sites open on May 1st, they do not become busy until the Memorial Day weekend.
Between Hillview near Hinton and River’s Bend at Akron, the Plymouth County Conservation Board has 58 campsites for RV’s, trailers, and other camping vehicles. It also has three cabins, plus vast areas designated for tent camping only. Beeck says the governor’s proclamation is forbidding short-term recreational visits. However, long-term housing at a campground is
exempted.
The Conservation Board official says people are still visiting the parks, however, the nature center has been closed, as is also the playgrounds. Beeck says one activity that remains open and has attracted visitors is fishing at the county parks.
Farmers Prepare For Spring Planting
(Le Mars) — Farmers are only a few weeks away from planting this year’s crops, and many are taking advantage of the nice weather to get their equipment and fields prepared for the upcoming spring planting season. In east central Iowa, Rebecca Vittetoe is the Crops Specialist and Agronomist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Vittetoe, a Le Mars native, says farmers in her region are beginning their early field work.
Vittetoe says the ten counties in her region started out wet, but lately have seen some drying conditions.
The Iowa State University Extension agronomist says soil temperatures in her region are still a bit cool for planting seeds.
Vittetoe says many farmers in the east-central Iowa region were not able to get into their fields last May, due to the wet conditions, and even some flooding. She says this year farmers are altering their plans somewhat, so if there is a window of opportunity to plant, they want to take full advantage.
Vittetoe says from her observations she believes east-central Iowa generally has about ten more growing days than what we have in northwest Iowa. The Iowa Department of Agriculture in its weekly crop condition report has indicated there has not been any planting of major crops take place in the state.
Union Leader Upset About Employees Working With Exposed COVID-19 Patients
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) – A union leader is complaining that a large Iowa nursing home for veterans is forcing some employees to work after they were exposed to a colleague who tested positive for coronavirus. AFSCME Council 61
President Danny Homan said the situation at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown is potentially putting employees and its 550 residents at risk of infection. Pat Garrett, a spokesman for Gov. Kim Reynolds, said that three employees at the home tested positive in late March, were sent home and are
recovering. The home says it has tested 24 residents for COVID-19 so far and all have been negative.
Clinton Police Officer Shoots Suspect
CLINTON, Iowa (AP) – Officials say a suspect has been shot and killed by an officer during a police chase in eastern Iowa. Clinton Police Chief Kevin Gyrion say in a statement that the shooting happened around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, after an officer tried to stop a vehicle that fled. The chief says the vehicle was chased into nearby Camanche and back to Clinton when a
pursuing officer fired his service weapon at the vehicle, hitting the suspect. The person was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.
Police have not released the identity of the suspect or the officer who fired his weapon.
Congressman Steve King Features Website To Help Iowans With Questions Relating To COVID-19 Coronavirus
Washington DC- Congressman Steve King announces that he has redesigned his official Congressional website, steveking.house.gov, to serve constituents as a “one-stop shop” for information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, visitors to King’s Congressional website will be able to quickly access agency-specific CoronaVirus resource pages that can assist them in their efforts to plan for, protect against, and recover from, harm associated with the COVID-19 outbreak. These agency-specific resources will be provided to visitors in the form of a splash page that will greet them and offer to them the ability to be redirected directly to the agency page with the COVID-19 information they need. King encourages visitors to the website to check back frequently, as each agency updates its resource page regularly in response to the constant release of new information.
