Officials with the Atlantic Community School District in cooperation with Cass County Public Health, said Sunday, “Due to the coronavirus, the Governor, Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), Cass County Emergency Management, and Cass County Public Health are recommending that there be no non-essential gatherings outside of students and staff during regular school activities.

According to the new guidelines put in place, the only people allowed in the Atlantic facilities will be employees, students, and necessary emergency personnel.

Parents/guardians needing to pick up their child(ren) at a non-dismissal time will be met at the door by their child(ren) and a staff member after being identified through our entrance security video system. Any meetings between school staff and stakeholders will need to happen over the Internet or by telephone.

One question that has been asked is the option for a child to be home from school. If a student has a compromised immune system or has a health related issue, we understand that attendance at school may be a concern. Please be assured he/she will be excused. If you should decide to keep your child home from school, we understand and respect your right to do so. However, please be sure to communicate this decision to your child’s respective school. 

Any person(s) not feeling well should be kept home from school. Per our illness policy, if a person has a fever, vomiting and/or has a cough that is not controlled, he/she should stay home and not attend school. We will continue to follow public health guidelines with sanitizing, hand washing, covering coughs, and cleaning high touch surfaces.

Non-essential gatherings will be cancelled/postponed starting Monday, March 16, 2020, until the district receives guidance that it is safe to resume. This includes the following: banquets, no lunch guests, classroom speakers, assemblies, music/band concerts, PTO meetings, Booster Club meetings, etc.  In-season high school sports and activity practices will be allowed to continue as planned. All school travel, other than daily bus routes, is also suspended.

This is a fluid situation and officials will continue to update the information as it becomes available.

Atlantic, IA — Cass County Health System officials, Sunday afternoon, announced updated measures for the public about being within CCHS facilities. This measure is being enacted to protect the health of patients, staff, volunteers, and visitors, and our community. What is a visitor? A visitor is any person who is at CCHS to accompany a patient, or any person at CCHS who is here to visit a patient. A visitor is simply anyone who does not have a personal medical reason to be within a CCHS facility.

• Visitors are limited to 1 or 2 essential support persons per patient. Essential support persons must be 18 years of age or older and in good health. Exceptions may be made for special circumstances (obstetrics patients, end-of-life or critically ill patients).
• Visitors who are at high risk of severe illness (over the age of 60 or have underlying health conditions) should not visit patients at CCHS.
• People who eat in the cafeteria or walk the halls daily are asked to discontinue this practice until further notice.
• Additional friends or family members can keep our community healthier by using phone or video technology to connect with loved ones who are hospitalized rather than waiting in public spaces, where person-to-person transmission of illness can happen.

Are all CCHS services still up and running? As of March 15, 2020, all CCHS services are up and running as usual. We encourage you to keep your appointments, whether you are going to Atlantic Medical Center, Rehabilitation Services, Senior Life Solutions, Cardiac Rehab, or any other department. We also encourage you to seek care at AMC Rapid Care or the Emergency Department as needed. If you develop fever and/or respiratory symptoms, then you should call your provider’s office prior to coming into any CCHS facility.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety (IDPS) say as Iowans take precautionary steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus, it is also important to protect your cyber health and security by being mindful of related scams. Cybercriminals are quick to exploit concerns surrounding public health by luring individuals into sharing sensitive information. Cybercriminals attempting to access personal information may distribute malicious e-mail attachments or provide links to fake or fraudulent websites featuring protective products and services, or soliciting donations to fraudulent charities or causes.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Iowa Department of Public Safety warn citizens to exercise caution should they receive any email with a COVID-19-related subject line, attachment, or hyperlink, and to be wary of social media pleas, texts, or phone calls related to COVID-19. State and federal public safety officials are encouraging the public to protect themselves from malicious online activity by following these six security tips:

1.    KEEP PERSONAL INFORMATION OUT OF EMAILS
Do not reveal personal or financial information in an email, and do not respond to email solicitations for this information. See CISA’s Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Scams for more information.

2.    USE EXTREME CAUTION WITH EMAIL ATTACHMENTS
Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails even if they appear to be sent by someone you know or from a source you may be inclined to trust and be wary of email attachments. See CISA’s Using Caution with Email Attachments.

3.    ACCESS ONLY TRUSTED NATIONAL ONLINE MEDICAL RESOURCES
Check web addresses to ensure you are visiting legitimate government websites for the most current, fact-based information about COVID-19 in the U.S. Be wary of emails appearing to be generated from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or experts claiming to have helpful information related to the virus. Proactively visit the official CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov and the coalition of World Health Organization websites that can be accessed at https://www.who.int.

4.    VISIT OFFICIAL STATE OF IOWA AGENCY WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
•    The Iowa Department of Public Health is the leading source for Iowa guidelines, testing and reported case-related information.
•    Governor Kim Reynolds’ Office is providing daily statewide coronavirus status updates.
•    The Department of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management coordinates the State of Iowa’s collaborative response to COVID-19.
•    The Iowa Attorney General’s Office cautions Iowans about coronavirus-related price gouging and fraud with an important set of alerts and recommendations.
•    The Iowa Department on Aging is sharing recommendations and resources for protecting yourself and loved ones in long-term care facilities.

5.    VERIFY A CHARITY’S AUTHENTICITY BEFORE MAKING DONATIONS
Review the Federal Trade Commission’s page on Charity Scams for more information.

6.    STAY ABREAST OF U.S. CYBER THREATS TO MITIGATE BUSINESS RISK
Review CISA’s insights on Risk Management for COVID-19 for more information. This page is continuously updated to reflect emerging threats as they are made available.

TO REPORT IF YOU’VE BEEN SCAMMED:
Office of the Attorney General of Iowa
Consumer Protection Division
Hoover State Office Building
1305 E. Walnut Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0106
Email: consumer@ag.iowa.gov
Phones: 515-281-5926 or 888-777-4590 (outside of the Des Moines metro area)
Fax: 515-281-6771
Website: www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov

TO REPORT IDENTITY THEFT:
Iowa Department of Revenue
1305 E Walnut Street Fourth Floor, 0107
Des Moines 50319
Phone: 515-281-3114
Website Report Form: https://tax.iowa.gov/report-fraud-and-identity-theft

TO REPORT INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN:
Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation
Cyber-Crime Unit
Iowa ICAC Task Force
2006 S. Ankeny Blvd.
Building 3-W
Ankeny, Iowa 50023
Phone: 515-965-7400
Email: info@iaicac.org
Website: www.iaicac.org

Police in Marshalltown are investigating a fatal shooting. Authorities say at around 3:24-a.m. Sunday (Today), officers, along with a Unity Point Ambulance and the Marshalltown Fire Department, responded to the 500 block of West Linn Street after receiving reports of a shooting incident.

Upon arrival, officers found a 27-year old man suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was critically injured. He was transported to Unity Point Hospital in Marshalltown, where he died. The victim’s name was being withheld pending family notifications.

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie today (Sunday) declared a state of emergency in the City of Des Moines in response to the community spread of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Saturday night, identified a community spread of coronavirus in the Des Moines metro and issued new recommendations for individuals with underlying conditions. IDPH added that all Iowans should be prepared for cancellations and disruptions to routine activities.

(THE MEETING was cancelled as of 10:22-a.m. today) Officials with the AHSTW School District said this (Sunday) morning, the AHSTW School Board will meet 3-p.m. today in the Avoca Elementary School Library. The purpose of the meeting is to receive information about, and discuss, the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

No action item was indicted on the agenda.

The Pottawattamie County COVID-19 Response Task Force met on Saturday, March 14th to discuss the data and recommendations presented at both the State of Iowa’s and Nebraska’s press conferences. Officials say “Being part of a larger metro area, we are evaluating all of the effects of community spread of the COVID-19 virus so that we can take proactive steps to flatten the expected curve. The task force will continue to meet daily to discuss the rapidly evolving situation and will provide updates as they become available.

As community spread has been identified in the Omaha metro area, the following guidance for community spread mitigation is vital.

Community: A group of people living in a defined geographic area, who are linked by social ties and engage in joint activities, such as work or recreation.
Community Spread: Occurs where individuals have been infected with the virus in an area and cannot specifically identify the source of the infection, or do not know how or where they became infected (e.g., cannot tie the illness to a specific event, like a cruise).
Community Spread = 1-2 identified community spread cases
● Individuals sixty years of age and older with underlying conditions should stay at home and avoid gatherings or other situations of potential exposures, including travel to affected areas.
● Implement personal protective measures. Encourage people to:
○ Stay home when sick
○ Wash their hands
○ Cover coughs and sneezes
● Clean frequently touched surfaces daily
● Reduce activities (e.g., group congregation, religious services), especially for organizations with individuals with underlying health conditions.
● Ensure hand hygiene supplies are readily available inbuildings.
● Cancel large gatherings (e.g., >250 people, the specific threshold is at the discretion of the
community) or move to smaller groupings.
● Consider personal social distancing measures: avoid large gatherings (e.g., assemblies), limit the number of attendees per gathering, and consider distance or working remotely or online learning when possible.
● Encourage staff to telework (when feasible), particularly individuals at increased risk of severe illness.
● Limit non-essential work travel and gatherings.
● Follow CDC guidance regarding school closures. If a school based case is identified, implement short-term suspension for school cleaning and contact tracing. Alter schedules to reduce mixing (e.g., stagger recess, entry/dismissaltimes).
● Cancel extracurricular activities as needed.
● Find local information on COVID-19 and local trends of COVID-19 cases at the IDPH web page.
Underlying Health Conditions: Health conditions that may increase the risk of serious COVID-19 include individuals with:

● Blood disorders (e.g., sickle cell disease or on blood thinners).
● Chronic kidney disease as defined by your doctor. Patient has been told to avoid or
reduce the dose of medications because of kidney disease, or is under treatment for
kidney disease, including receiving dialysis.
● Chronic liver disease as defined by your doctor. (e.g., cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis) Patient
has been told to avoid or reduce the dose of medications because liver disease or is
under treatment for liver disease.
● Compromised immune system (immunosuppression) (e.g., seeing a doctor for cancer
and treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation, received an organ or bone marrow
transplant, taking high doses of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressant
medications, HIV or AIDS).
● Current or recent pregnancy in the last twoweeks.
● Endocrine disorders (e.g., diabetes mellitus).
● Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders).
● Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary
artery disease).
● Lung disease including asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (chronic
bronchitis or emphysema) or other chronic conditions associated with impaired lung
function or that require homeoxygen.
● Neurological and neurologic and neurodevelopment conditions [including disorders of
the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy
(seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability, moderate to severe developmental
delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury.

Reminder: If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) call your physician’s office ahead of your arrival. More resource information can be found at https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

There will be no masses at Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic and Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Anita.  Bishop Joensen has cancelled all Sunday Masses. The faithful are dispensed of the obligation to attend Sunday Mass.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Steve Barber this (Sunday) morning, announced today’s performance of the musical “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Atlantic High School, has been called for this afternoon. Barber said in his statement, the move was due to “Precautionary measures and updated guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health.”

Saturday night, Governor Kim Reynold said in a rare weekend Press Conference, that Iowans should not gather in crowds of 250 people or more, to hep prevent the spread of COVID-19 (The Coronavirus).

The was an 18th confirmed case of the virus announced Saturday, in a person 60-to 81-years of age, in Dallas County. The case was NOT connected to the other, cruise ship-related incidents of COVID-19.