(Radio Iowa) The Iowa Department of Public Health’s weekly Covid update shows 60 percent of Iowans over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated. The vaccination rate among Iowans who are 65 or older is 83 percent. Over the past even days, 24 percent of the Iowans who’ve tested positive for Covid are under the age of 18. Dan Diekema (DEEK-uh-muh) is an infectious disease specialist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

He says the spread is largely driven by virus activity in schools where students under age 12 aren’t eligible for a Covid shot.

The total number of Covid patients in Iowa hospitals has dropped slightly for the first time in 12 weeks according to state data. However, there are more Covid patients in intensive care now compared to last Wedneday and nearly 85 percent of them were not vaccinated.