Cass County Public Health officials are continueing to provide guidance to area businesses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Beth Olsen, Cass County Public Health Director, says “There are some definite steps local businesses that are still open can take to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks, as well as to detect and manage the virus if an employee should become infected. We are here to guide businesses to help ensure the health and safety of their employees as well as all citizens of Cass County.”

Preventing Outbreaks:

• Businesses should implement measures to enable social distancing as much as possible.
• Consider staggering shifts to reduce worker population at any given time.
• Stagger breaks to reduce staff interactions.
• Review procedures to identify ways to increase the physical separation of staff.
• Businesses should prioritize hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette among employees.
• Businesses should provide or allow employees to wear their own homemade cloth facemasks.
• Businesses should provide hand sanitizer or handwashing opportunities as frequently as possible.

Detecting Outbreaks

• Screen all employees by taking their temperature and assessing for cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing or any other respiratory symptom at the beginning and end of each shift. For a screening algorithm visit: https://idph.iowa.gov/Portals/1/userfiles/7/bscreening%20algorithm%2003222020.pdf
• Exclude all employees reporting fever or respiratory symptoms (these cases will be directed to stay home and isolate themselves from other people and animals in the home) until they:
  – Have had no fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers) AND
  – Other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved) AND
  – At least 7 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.

Exclusion criteria must be followed with all symptomatic employees, regardless of whether the testing is completed (even if the employee tests negative for COVID-19 infection). Businesses are encouraged to report to the Iowa Department of Public Health when 10% or greater of employees are reporting COVID-19 symptoms (including fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing, or any other respiratory symptom).

Report to public health by filling out the survey at this link:
https://redcap.idph.state.ia.us/surveys/?s=NRJ4FDMDPN

Managing Outbreaks
Businesses should consider excluding high-risk employees when outbreaks are ongoing. High-risk
employees include:

• People aged 65 years and older
• People of all ages with underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, including:
  o People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
  o People who have serious heart conditions
• People who are immunocompromised
  o Many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer
  treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly
  controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening
  medications
• People with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥40)
• People with diabetes
• People with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis
• People with liver disease

Business decisions to close should be based upon workforce availability and the ability to follow the
recommended measures outlined above. For up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the IDPH webpage at https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus and follow the department on Facebook at @IowaDepartmentOfPublicHealth and on Twitter at @IAPublicHealth.

Here is the latest COVID-19 update from the State of Iowa, as reported by the Iowa Dept. of Public Health and Governor Kim Reynolds (This information is current as of 11-a.m. today, April 15th):

• There are 96 new, positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 1,995.
• No new counties have reported new cases of the virus.
• There are 407 negative cases for a total of 17,874 negative test results.
• There are 3,048 tests available from the State.
• 908 Iowans have recovered from the virus, for a recovery rate of 46%.
• There have been four additional deaths: an elderly adult from Polk County; 1 elderly adult from Clayton County; one older adult in Allamakee County, and one older adult in Johnson County. Total number of deaths in Iowa: 53.

The Department of Public Health has also confirmed one additional Long Term Care (facility) outbreaks.: At Wilton Retirement Community in Muscatine County. That brings the total number of LTC outbreaks to seven. The Governor said “More than 10-percent of Iowa’s total number of positive COVID-19 cases, and 49-percent of our deaths are related to Long Term Care Outbreak. All deaths in Iowa are among older or elderly individuals and those with underlying health conditions, again underscoring the importance of doing our part to protect the most vulnerable population.”

For additional, county-by-county data, go to: https://idph.iowa.gov/emerging-health-issues/novel-coronavirus

WATERLOO, Iowa (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier) — An Iowa mayor is tapping a fired Texas police chief for the same role. The Courier reports Waterloo’s mayor on Tuesday named Joel Fitzgerald Sr. to be the city’s next police chief. Fitzgerald would be Waterloo’s first black police chief if he’s ratified by the city council during a meeting next week. Fitzgerald was fired from his job as Fort Worth, Texas police chief last year.

Fort Worth officials in part cited an incident in Washington, D.C. that they said brought Fitzgerald’s judgment and leadership into question. Fitzgerald now serves as the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office’s chief deputy.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Union County, Tuesday afternoon, arrested a Creston man for Harassment in the 2nd Degree. 52-year old James LeRoy Jones was taken into custody at his residence, and released at the scene on a Promise to Appear in court.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Wednesday press briefing on COVID-19. We plan on having live audio of the presser as well on KJAN. The press conference is scheduled to begin at about 11:00 a.m.

Mills County has received an award from the Iowa West Foundation Southwest Iowa COVID-19 Response Fund to address challenges related to COVID-19, and to ensure resources are available to serve our community. Mills County Public Health Director Julie Lynes says “As the local impact of the pandemic unfolds, we know that many individuals and families have had their employment disrupted. Many others are needing help to stay safely isolated from others. For those who are experiencing a financial hardship and need assistance with rent or utilities; or need a gift card for groceries or other necessities, this funding will help. We want our community to stay safely at home and have what they need.”

Rent or utility assistance will be paid directly to the entity owed. Gift cards for groceries and other personal and household items will be available for curbside pickup at the Mills County Public Health Office. Community volunteers are also available to grocery shop and leave goods by the front door. Applications can be submitted online at http://covid19.millscoia.us under the “Application for Assistance” tab. Applications can also be submitted by calling 712-520-4001.

If you have any questions or concerns about COVID19, call Mills County Public Health at 712-527-9699. Resources, support, and information related to COVID19 are available.