(Des Moines, IA) Today (Tuesday) the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) released the guidelines for COVID-19 vaccine priority populations for Phase 1B, based on the recommendations put forward by the Iowa Disease Advisory Council (IDAC) and accepted by Kelly Garcia, IDPH interim Director.

Garcia says “I am grateful for the incredible work of the Infectious Disease Advisory Council. The work of this group is critical to ensuring Iowa’s most vulnerable are protected and have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. In a situation where there is not a playbook to follow, the thoughtful dialog and recommendations reflect their deep commitment to equity and making the right decisions in the best interest of all Iowans.”

IDAC Recommendations

Due to the current and short-term projections for vaccine allocation for Iowa, IDAC recommendations for Phase 1B focus on individuals who are age 75 and over, as well as other high risk populations. This includes Iowans who are most vulnerable to exposure to COVID-19 or high-risk for illness as the result of a COVID-19 infection, with a significant focus on equity.  Some examples include individuals with disabilities living in home settings, correctional facilities, other congregate settings and meatpacking plant workers.

Acceptance of Recommendations

Garcia accepted IDAC’s recommendations in full, modified with two additions. In addition to IDAC’s recommendations for inclusion in Phase 1B are inspectors responsible for health, life and safety as well as government officials, including staff, to ensure continuity of government, engaged in state business at the Iowa Capitol during the legislative session. Please see the IDAC recommendations and response here.

Tentative Timeframes

It will require approximately 300-400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to complete Phase 1A statewide. Iowa has, to date, been allocated approximately 226,000 doses. Vaccination of Phase 1B populations will begin no later than the first of February, and will take several weeks to complete. This timeline is subject to change.

In order to assure that we are moving through the Phase 1A schedule swiftly, IDPH is monitoring allocation data and utilization rates as well as through discussions with healthcare providers to identify challenges with administration or uptake.

There will be more details soon on where Phase 1B populations will receive their vaccines. Many of these vaccines will be administered via employer-based clinics. There are also approximately 1,700  enrolled vaccine providers in the state. Many of these providers are pharmacies and clinical offices that are equipped to handle screening and scheduling for vaccination efforts. County health departments may partner with these providers to ensure their residents have access to the vaccine when it becomes available.

In addition, to the above recommendations, IDAC strongly supports that no individual shall be restricted from obtaining vaccine based on residency or citizenship as noted in the memo from the Iowa Department of Public Health Re: Administration of COVID-19 Vaccine – County/State of Residence, dated December 11, 2020.

https://idph.iowa.gov/Portals/1/userfiles/61/covid19/vaccine/Vaccine%20Memo-Regardless%20of%20Residence.pdf 

Garcia says “As of today we’ve learned from the federal government of significant increased availability of the vaccine based on each state’s ability to distribute supply quickly and number of residents over age 65, or under age 65 with significant health conditions. Once we have reasonable confidence that supply meets the demands of this broader eligibility criteria, we will activate the broader distribution criteria. From the very beginning from this distribution effort, it has been our goal to reach all Iowans.”

IDPH continues to urge Iowans that while the vaccine is still a scarce resource, to practice virus mitigation efforts.

• Wear a mask or face covering
• Practice social distancing with those outside your household
• Clean your hands frequently with soap and water
• Stay home if you feel sick

View the full IDAC recommendations here and vaccine administration data here.

(DES MOINES) – Monday morning, Rep. Tom Moore (R-Griswold) was sworn in to the Iowa House of Representatives on the first day of the 89^th General Assembly. The swearing in ceremony was shortly followed by opening remarks by Speaker of the House Pat Grassley, outlining some of the priorities of the Legislature for the 2021 session.

(R) Rep. Tom Moore

During session Rep. Moore can be reached by email at tom.moore@legis.iowa.gov.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Lottery players will have a shot at the eighth-largest jackpot in U.S. history due to months without a winner of the big prize. A drawing will be held Tuesday night for the $625 million Mega Millions jackpot, the largest lottery prize in nearly two years. The big prize for Powerball, the other national lottery game, isn’t far behind, at $550 million for Wednesday night’s drawing.

Those dreaming of instant wishes should remember that the odds of winning Powerball are one in 292.2 million. They’re even steeper for Mega Millions, at one in 302.5 million.

ESTHERVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified a man killed in a house fire in northwestern Iowa earlier this month. The Estherville Police Department tells the Sioux City Journal that 69-year-old Paul Ostendorf died in the fire at Estherville. Police say Ostendorf was the owner and occupant of the house. Firefighters were called by a neighbor to the home just before 4 p.m. on Jan. 2.

Arriving firefighters found the house engulfed in flames and found Ostendorf’s body after extinguishing the fire. Ostendorf’s death and the cause of the fire remain under investigation.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Page County, Saturday, arrested 35-year-old Jose Manuel Huerta, of Clarinda. Huerta was arrested at his residence on a Page County Bench Warrant for Failure to appear on an original charge of Driving while License is barred. He was transported to the Page County Jail and held on on $2,000 bond, pending further court proceedings.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds will deliver the annual “Condition of the State” address at 6 p.m. tonight (Tuesday). During a speech early Monday morning, Reynolds may have given a preview of her evaluation of the state’s status. “This past year has been challenging, it’s been unprecedented, and it’s been unpredictable: a global pandemic; civil unrest; a drought; derecho; a contentious, hard-fought election cycle,” Reynolds said,”and every day I continue to be inspired by the strength and tenacity and the compassion of Iowans.”

The governor told her fellow Republican the pandemic has exposed some vulnerabilities, but she did not cite specifics. “If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that leadership matters,” she said. “It matters at the local level, the state and the federal level, so let’s continue to lead with bold ideas, creative solutions and results.”

Reynolds starts 2021 with a larger Republican majority in the legislative branch. During her speech at yesterday’s (Monday’s) G-O-P fundraiser, she emphasized the importance of Republicans continuing to work together as a team.  “Keep fighting. Get out there,” said Reynolds, who is likely to seek reelection in 2022. “Let’s keep the ground game going and let’s keep showing not only Iowans, but this country that Iowa will continue to lead and do the right thing.”

Reynolds will be presenting her proposed budget to lawmakers as well. She has been emphasizing the status quo budgets lawmakers have approved over the past two years as the reason the State of Iowa didn’t face massive budget shortfalls during the pandemic. “Because of conservative budgeting (practices), a diverse economy, and our decision to keep over 80% of our businesses open and our workers working, we closed Fiscal year ’20 with our cash reserves full and a $305 million surplus,” Reynolds said.

That was Reynolds speaking to Republicans on Monday. The scheduling for tonight’s prime time “Condition of the State” address is a departure from precedent. The speech is traditionally delivered to a joint session of the House and Senate at 10 a.m. Reynolds says she hopes to reach a larger audience with the evening time slot.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will meet 6-p.m. Wednesday, in the High School Media Center. The meeting will stream live on YouTube. On the agenda, is action on approving the resignation of: Mike McDermott, Head H.S. Football Coach; School-to-work Coordinator JoAnn Runyon, and Achievement Center Custodian Lindsay Williams. The Board will also act on contract recommendations for: Laura Juhl, Preschool Paraeducator; Adam Smith, MS Wrestling Coach, and Tracy Purkapile, Car Driver.

The Atlantic School Board will also discuss, and act on Superintendent Steve Barber’s recommendation for, an extension of the Mask Mandate that was first implemented Nov. 26 and renewed three times thereafter, for 30-days each. According to agenda details, Barber will tell the Board “It appears that COVID will be with us for some time yet, although having some vaccinations is encouraging. I think it would be helpful to stay with a policy for the remainder of the school year.”  Barber has previously stated the Mask Mandate they’ve had in-place has benefited the District by not having to quarantine persons who are to determined to have had close contact, with both parties wearing masks. The Policy states “Face coverings will be required when social distancing is not possible.”

On a related note, the Atlantic School Board will discuss and act on Superintendent Barber’s recommendation with regard to Emergency Sick Leave for COVID-19. Barber recommends an option that says:

• [An] Employee is subject to a Federal, State or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19;
• [The] Employee has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19;
• and [The] Employee is experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19 and seeking a medical diagnosis.

COVID leave balances would not “Start over” for those employees who have already used all or a portion of this leave, and sick leave can only be used for those who have exhausted the 10 days of COVID leave. Barber notes the Federal COVID sick leave expired Dec. 31st. In other business, the Board will act on a recommendation to change the current school calendar to have a Professional Development day on Feb. 22nd, instead of a regular school day. And, they will act on setting Feb. 20th (2021) as the date for a Public Hearing on the 2021-22 school calendar, which is a requirement of Iowa law, along with publishing the proposed calendar 10-to 20- days ahead of the hearing.

(Radio Iowa) – Many Iowans will soon be starting the process of filling out their state and federal tax returns, as those W-2 forms should be arriving in our mailboxes by the end of the month. Urbandale C-P-A Jeff Strawhacker says there are very few major changes for the 2020 filing season and this round of tax forms is much like those from the 2019 season. Still, Strawhacker notes, 2020 was no ordinary year — for virtually anyone. “A lot of people were receiving unemployment benefits during the shutdowns and the pandemic and they may still be receiving those,” Strawhacker says. “Unlike stimulus payments, unemployment benefits are taxable and if taxes were not taken out of those benefits, they may have a little bit of tax to pay when they file their returns.”

The latest round of federal stimulus checks, as with the first round, are -not- considered taxable income for federal or Iowa purposes, Strawhacker says, so “it’s tax-free money.” However, some people didn’t get a first stimulus check last March or they didn’t get as big a check as they should have received. “On the 2020 returns, there’s a reconciliation process where you calculate the amount that you were eligible to receive, based on your 2019 income, and then you compare that to what you actually received,” Strawhacker says. “If there’s a difference, you may have a little extra money that you can claim as a credit on your 2020 tax return.”

With the pandemic, more people are spending more time working from home which may afford them more flexibility with their daily activities. Will many Iowans be using that extra time to tackle their taxes? “I’m hoping more people will do them earlier because they’ve had some time at home to maybe gather documents or organize things a little bit differently,” Strawhacker says, “but nobody likes to file their taxes before they’re actually due, so I would anticipate we’ll see kind of a normal process with a lot of people pushing that deadline as close as they can.”

While the deadline to file federal tax returns was extended to July 15th last year, it’s currently scheduled on the standard day in 2021 of April 15th, with Iowa taxes due April 30th.