Iowa’s already strained health care system could be in for a rough winter after officials with the University of Iowa Health Care say flu cases have rapidly increased in the past two weeks, raising the possibility that the state could face “twindemic” spikes of flu and COVID-19.
An Iowa American Academy of Pediatrics board member says doctors face an ongoing fight against vaccine misinformation on social media.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Cadell Walker rushed to get her 9-year-old daughter Solome vaccinated against COVID-19 — not just to protect her but to help stop the coronavirus from spreading and spawning even more dangerous variants.
As Iowans prepare to gather with loved ones for the Thanksgiving holiday, virus transmission rates are at the highest levels. Iowa hospital officials are encouraging people to get the COVID-19 booster shot and take other steps to prevent infections among vulnerable Iowans.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Friday opened COVID-19 booster shots to all adults and took the extra step of urging people 50 and older to seek one, aiming to ward off a winter surge as coronavirus cases rise even before millions of Americans travel for the holidays.
Although deer don’t seem to get COVID-19 symptoms, scientists worry the animals could serve as reservoirs for the virus to hang around and possibly be transmitted back to humans.
The board governing Iowa’s medical marijuana program plans to ask the Iowa Legislature to allow the state public health department to decide how many dispensaries there should be — and where they should be located — rather than restricting dispensary licenses to five.
The leader of the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy has issued a 2022 strategy that hopes to build on Iowa’s positive trends while addressing challenges tied to the COVID-19 pandemic and the availability of more potent substances.
Iowa’s four Catholic Dioceses launched a campaign this week to encourage Iowans to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The effort was launched after conversations about vaccine hesitancy between the Diocese of Davenport and the University of Iowa.
Local vaccine providers say they are still seeing high demand for COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children aged 5 to 11 years in the two weeks since federal health officials approved the two-dose Pfizer vaccine for this age group. Health care providers say children who receive the first shot this week will be fully vaccinated by the end-of-year holidays.
New infections increase for fourth week in a row; available ICU beds hit all-time low
Mercy Medical Center says 98.1 percent of all staff are compliant with its COVID-19 vaccine requirement as of Monday, the final day for employees to be fully vaccinated or have an exemption. Hospital officials say “a small percentage” of staff requested and were approved for a religious or medical exemption.
Friday marked the final day for employees of MercyOne to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus or receive an exemption. The health care system had extended the deadline to comply with a new state law that allowed staff previously denied an exemption to reapply.
Linn County Public Health is holding four vaccination clinics at Cedar Rapids schools for children 5 to 11. The clinics, open to any child with a parent present, will take place from Monday, Nov. 29 to Thursday, Dec. 2.
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