Coronavirus

For the second time, Iowa State University has exceeding its “Forever True, For Iowa State” fundraising campaign goal by bringing in $1.542 billion by June 30 — thanks to 532,377 gifts from more than 96,000 donors.

Democrats repeated the party’s demand last week that Gov. Reynolds reverse her earlier decision to reject $95 million in federal funds that could be used for COVID-19 mitigation in schools.

Unlike the spike in cases last winter, more than half the new cases are among younger Iowans.

Though the number of new cases and hospitalizations and deaths due to the infection are far less than a peak last winter, Iowa is experiencing a third surge of the disease that’s being fueled by the more contagious delta variant despite the widespread availability of a free vaccine to ward off the worst symptoms — including death.

A proposed class-action lawsuit claims that Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ decision to cut off enhanced unemployment benefits for tens of thousands of residents violated state law and asks a court to reinstate their eligibility.

The number of inmates held in Iowa prisons crept up last fiscal year but the population was down significantly from the record count of a decade ago as COVID-19 has forced changes.

Additionally, the Corrections Department said about 61 percent of the state’s prison staff have reported being fully vaccinated — again, higher than the rate for the state’s overall eligible population.

If the district illegally put a mask mandate in place, it could be at risk of losing its accreditation, which could mean a loss of state and federal funding.

Local health care and public health officials are urging all Linn County residents to get vaccinated and take other mitigation measures as new coronavirus cases surge in recent weeks. Cedar Rapids hospitals say they are seeing an alarming increase in hospitalizations, including among fully vaccinated residents.

However, the yearly extravaganza of farm animal exhibits and competitions, grandstand entertainment, longstanding entertainment venues and a wide variety of foods fried up and served on a stick did attract 1,094,480 visitors in the midst of an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that undoubtedly affected the overall turnout. Last year’s state fair was canceled due to the pandemic.

The Hawkeye Area Labor Council AFL-CIO announced Monday morning that Labor Day picnics in all chapter have been canceled.

The Big Ten announced new COVID-19 protocols Monday, including that if a team cannot participate due to the coronavirus, it will forfeit that game.

The U.S. gave full approval to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, a milestone that may help lift public confidence in the shots as the nation battles the most contagious coronavirus mutant yet.

The influx of more than 115,000 new Medicaid enrollees gradually built as Iowans lost their jobs – and their employer-based health insurance – as the coronavirus pandemic took hold.

On the eve of an academic year promising to be unlike any other — by being, officials hope, more than last year like many others — University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson stood with thousands of new freshmen in solidarity. “Our job is to be healthy Hawkeyes,” she said.