Coronavirus

Two years after Iowa’s three public universities made the unprecedented and heart-wrenching pandemic-propelled decision to nix in-person spring commencement ceremonies – a historic rite of passage – all three are resurrecting them this weekend.

At the height of the pandemic, the meat processing industry worked closely with political appointees in the Trump administration to stave off health restrictions and keep slaughterhouses open even as COVID-19 spread rapidly among workers, according to a Congressional report released Thursday.

The state reported 3,172 new coronavirus cases in the past seven days, which is roughly triple the number of new cases reported on April 20. Six weeks ago, Iowa reported 478 new cases.

The University of Iowa Health Care has joined a new Phase 2 clinical trial that will test booster vaccines in various combinations to determine which provide the best immune response against existing and emerging COVID-19 variants.

The Iowa Department of Public Health confirmed four deaths statewide as a result of the coronavirus, the lowest number seen since the early days of the pandemic. However, new infections and related hospitalizations continue to rise across Iowa.

For the first time since the pandemic started, Cedar Rapids Transit will reboot Saturday service. But it’ll still be a while before the city makes a determination on offering long-hoped-for evening hours after COVID-19 paused those plans.

The county reported 305 new cases this week — the highest seven-day total since the 449 cases reported Feb. 16.

Eligible residents who are low- to moderate-income with documented hardship due to COVID-19 are invited to apply for a $1,400 emergency relief payment.

In the past year, federal assistance programs and cost-sharing waivers from private insurance companies for COVID-19 treatments as ended. As a result, financial counselors have seen more clients seeking help with medical debt.

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday that two restaurants cannot collect damages from insurance policies for losing business following the governor’s March 2020 order requiring restaurants to temporarily stop in-person dining amid rising COVID-19 cases.

Increasing coronavirus transmission rates and new COVID-19 cases across Johnson County is a result of an emergence of BA.2, a subvariant of omicron, federal data shows. A local expert says this latest stage of the pandemic highlights the importance of vaccines and booster shots.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 1,063 new COVID-19 cases in the past week, an increase from the 900 new cases reported last week. However, infected patients in intensive care in Iowa’s hospitals have reached an all-time low.

Public transit in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and Coralville dropped their respective mask mandates following a federal court ruling that struck down the nationwide mask requirement for public transportation.

UnityPoint Health officials have revised masking policies for three Eastern Iowa hospitals, including St. Luke’s in Cedar Rapids. Masking is optional for most patients, visitors and fully vaccinated staff, with certain exceptions.

Month by month, more of the roughly 40 million Americans who get help buying groceries through the federal food stamp program are seeing their benefits plunge even as the nation struggles with the biggest increase in food costs in decades.