Coronavirus

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.

After reaching an all-time low last week, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 increased to 68 in Iowa in the past week, though that number is still far below the January peak.

State and federal guidelines call for mask use in early care and education facilities for those 2 and up. The Marion parents have a 19-month old they want to wear a mask at day care.

930 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Iowa in the past week, almost double the number reported last week. It’s the first overall increase in virus activity statewide since the peak of the omicron variant’s surge in mid-January.

On Friday, Iowa ended participation in a federal program that offered households nationwide the maximum benefit available under SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Local food pantries are preparing for a spike in demand.

Darcy Havel-Sturdevant of Iowa City thought she’d be working by now, two years after being diagnosed with COVID-19.

A new study from the University of Iowa’s Post-COVID Clinic has found damage to the small airways in the lungs of long-haul COVID patients experiencing persistent breathing problems. This damage, which cause air to be trapped in the small airways, could be a potentially long-lasting impact from COVID-19 infection, researchers say.

COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide increased slightly this week, but the virus has slowed enough in the past month for area hospitals to reach a milestone in the pandemic. In some cases, that watershed only lasted for a day.

U.S. regulators on Tuesday authorized another COVID-19 booster for people age 50 and older, a step to offer extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds.

Effective March 28, 2022, both Cedar Rapids hospitals will begin allowing some hospitalized patients more visitors, a break from stricter policies set at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An in-depth analysis of pandemic response commissioned by Linn County Public Health identified the communication gap between state officials and local public health departments as a hindrance to agencies’ COVID-19 response.