Gazette Daily News Podcast, August 3

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Linn County reported its second-highest daily coronavirus case count yesterday. With 59 new coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period, bringing the county's seven-day average to 37 new cases, a new high. The seven-day rolling average hit a low of three new daily cases on June 14, but it saw a steady upward climb in July.

Despite the climb, hospitalizations due to the virus in the state are down from 242 to 231. There are also two fewer patients were in intensive care — from 77 Saturday to 75 Sunday, and the number of coronavirus patients on ventilators increased by one to 36.

Iowa doctors call for a statewide face mask mandate. On Saturday, a group of Iowa medical professionals stood on the steps of the Iowa State Capitol to demand Governor Kim Reynolds institute a statewide mask mandate.The group held a news conference to draw attention to a letter signed by more than 300 medical professionals in Iowa, including leaders of 16 Iowa health care organizations they sent to the Governor. While Reynolds hasn't legally mandated masks, she has spoken in support of masks and social distancing and is organizing a public information campaign encouraging Iowans to wear masks in public.

Cedar Rapids schools have finalized plans for returning 

Elementary schools

Pre-K to fifth-grade can return to in-person instruction with a homeroom teacher. The students and teacher will remain within the same cohort to minimize physical contact with others.

Middle schools

All sixth- through eighth-grade students returning to in-person instruction will be assigned an advisory teacher. Each advisory group will remain the same throughout the year to limit contact.

Advisory teachers will supervise student learning, which will be created by subject teachers and delivered virtually or in-person.

High schools

High school students will return in a hybrid model of in-person and online instruction.

Students will attend class in the school building for two to three days a week and attend online instruction the other two to three days a week.

They will be split into an 'A' and 'B' cohort based on the first letter of their last name, reducing the number of students in the school each day.

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