For 11 days in a row, COVID-19 cases have increased faster in the 77 counties where Gov. Reynolds LOOSENED restrictions than in the rest of Iowa
CEDAR RAPIDS – State Senator Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids) released today a chart showing that the 77 counties where Gov. Reynolds loosened restrictions on May 1 have increased faster than in the rest of Iowa for eleven consecutive days.
“The tragic news today that six more Iowans died from COVID-19, bringing the total for the last seven days to 83, is a reminder that we need to do even more to slow down and stop the spread of this dangerous and highly contagious disease,” Hogg said.
Today’s report from the Iowa Department of Public Health showed a 3.5% increase in the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases (up 414 to 12,373), while the county-by-county data show that the 77 counties where Gov. Reynolds loosened restrictions on May 1 increase by 8.0% (up 116 new confirmed cases to 1,562).
The chart gives the daily increases since April 30 for the state as a whole and the 77 counties where Gov. Reynolds loosened restrictions.
Source: Senator Rob Hogg using Iowa Dep’t of Public Health Data provided daily at coronavirus.iowa.gov.
The 116-case increase in the 77 counties reported today was the second highest increase yet in terms of actual number of new cases for those counties, second only to the 145-case increase reported May 7.
On Thursday, May 14, Hogg plans to release his second weekly “Top 25” chart for the counties with the fastest increase in COVID-19 cases since April 30.
State Senator Jackie Smith For Immediate Release: May 1, 2020
(Sioux City) State Senator Jackie Smith of Sioux City today said that the Tyson meatpacking plant in Dakota City must be made safe before it reopens.
Senator Smith believes an independent body must oversee Tyson’s reopening, one with the power to require additional changes, including plant shutdowns, when needed.
“Tyson created this disaster by failing to protect Tyson workers,” Smith said. “That’s why independent experts must oversee an intensive, ongoing effort to make the plant a safe place to work.”
In conversations with workers, community leaders and public health experts, Smith said several ideas were repeatedly raised.
“One, we need thorough, repeatedly updated improvements in worker safety. Two, we must have comprehensive, on-going testing of workers, their families and their communities. Three, we need funding for the ongoing treatment and long-term health care needs of Tyson workers, their family and our communities,” said Smith.
Smith noted that the failure by bad actors in the meatpacking industry is already imposing heavy costs on Northwest Iowa.
“The meatpacking industry failures have created an unprecedent crisis for farmers across our region. Tens of thousands of cattle and hogs may be euthanized due to this industry’s reckless disregard for the health and safety of their workers.
Smith is calling on Iowa’s state and federal leaders to act decisively.
“Governor Kim Reynolds has repeatedly told the people of Northwest Iowa that she would fight for us,” Smith said. “Governor Reynolds, this is your moment. Help us make sure the Tyson plant does not reopen without fundamental changes, independent monitoring, and comprehensive testing and health care services.”
Smith also appealed to the area’s Congressional representatives.
“Senators Ernst and Grassley, you are our community’s only functional voice in Congress,” Smith said. “We need you to bring the power and resources of the federal government to help solve these problems.”
Smith said the problems exposed by the Tyson outbreak won’t be solved without putting the health and safety of Iowa workers first.
“Tyson recklessly harmed hardworking Iowa men and women. Tyson’s neglect spread the virus to those workers, their families and our community,” Smith said. “That’s why independent, ongoing health and safety reforms are essential to recovering from this economic and health care disaster.”
Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen and House Democratic Leader Todd Prichard submitted a memo April 29 to the Legislative Council with recommendations for protecting the health and safety of legislators, staff and constituents when the state Capitol re-opens to complete the 2020 session.
Statement from Senator Rob Hogg on decision by Governor Reynolds to deny unemployment benefits to workers
“Governor Reynolds is failing to protect Iowa workers again.
“The Governor has failed Iowa workers at meatpacking plants, workers and residents at long-term care facilities, and inmates and staff at our correctional facilities.
“Now, after prematurely allowing Iowa businesses in 77 counties to reopen, the Governor announced that Iowans who don’t go into work — out of fear for themselves or a vulnerable person in their family contracting COVID19 — will lose their unemployment benefits.
“Iowa workers should have a Governor and a government that has their back during this crisis.”
Statement from Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen
“Governor Reynolds needs to put the health and safety of Iowans first. Iowans don’t want to be used as guinea pigs.
“Iowa is experiencing staggering daily infections, record-high deaths, and it has yet to hit its peak. This is not the time to try to make people happy by randomly reopening segments of the economy like crowded farmers markets.
“Governor Reynolds was elected to lead. That means listening to health experts, sharing all the data and analysis with Iowans, and doing what it takes to protect all Iowans. Iowans are strong and resilient. We can do hard things and make sacrifices, especially when we know the lives of our neighbors, families and friends are at stake.
“Safely reopening our economy will require a massive scale-up of testing and contact tracing and more social distancing until we begin to flatten the curve. We need to listen to and follow the advice and guidelines of national health experts to get Iowans back to work and protect the people we love.”
“Our prisons are places where
safety and security have to be given utmost attention at all times or bad
things happen. That’s true in the best of times.
“Over the past few years, though,
stretched thin with staffing issues, we have seen increasing violence and
assaults on staff—one case requiring an inmate to stop an assault on a
corrections officer due to unavailable backup. I raised these concerns—and the
lack of communication from the administration—in February when the Senate
considered the leadership of the Department of Corrections.
“We now are seeing the lack of communication and tendency toward reaction rather than preparation play out in a new, harmful way. With the dramatic increase in positive cases at the prison (IMCC) at Coralville, it is obvious that the State of Iowa has not done enough to protect Iowa’s public servants who are working the front lines during this public health disaster.
“There have been way too many
missed opportunities. Action and planning should have come when the rest
of the state was taking precautions, when the first positive test of a
corrections officer was known, when the first positive test of inmate was
known, or when a jarring ten cases became known this week. IMCC is the inmate distribution hub for
our state. Failure to take precautions and reduce risks there puts our
whole corrections system at risk. While many other states stopped doing intake
of new prisoners from Iowa’s jails, the Department of
Corrections continued to risk a major outbreak through continued intake
and prisoner movement. In addition, proactively testing staff
and inmates should have occurred.
“I’m calling on this Administration
to convene a teleconference today involving all wardens, the Director of the
Department Corrections, Public Health and Department of Human Services, and
AFSCME develop a new plan and improved protocols for keeping our correctional
and DHS facilities as safe as possible, improved PPE standards and usage,
expanded testing, and instituting premium pay for these essential workers
who are required to show up for longer hours and more restrictive break periods
despite the now obvious increased risk of exposure to themselves and
the family members they return home to when their shifts are done.”
For Immediate Release: April 19, 2020 Contacts: Sen. Nate Boulton (515-669-4259); Sen. Bill Dotzler (319-240-5594): Sen. Kevin Kinney (319-631-4667)
As the COVID-19 public health emergency worsens, three
Iowa State Senators are calling for immediate action in response to multiple
outbreaks at meatpacking facilities across the state.
The Senators are calling for immediate action by state
and local officials to:
Protect the health and safety of Iowa’s essential workers when they are on the job.
Stop the community transmission of COVID-19 among family members, neighbors and others who may be in contact with infected essential employees.
Prevent long-term interruption of the nation’s food supply.
“These Iowans are showing up for work, being pressed
into service for our economy and for the food security of our nation, but have
little confidence that their state or their employer are concerned for their
safety. These outbreaks are startling—and so is the lackadaisical attitude
coming from the state on what needs to be done,” said Senator Nate Boulton of
Des Moines.
“While the meatpacking plant outbreaks are drawing
attention now, there are many other manufacturing facilities across
the state that could face similar problems if protocols are not established and
implemented now,” added Boulton, who grew up in Columbus Junction, where the
COVID-19 outbreak is one of the worst in the nation.
“What we are seeing play out is borderline criminal,”
added Senator Bill Dotzler of Waterloo. “I represent workers who are telling me
that even the voluntary precautions being taken aren’t doing anything. They’re
having temperatures taken and the results ignored. These workers then go to
work in close proximity throughout their shifts, go out into the community and
expose community members, then go back into the plant where it all starts over
again. Action must be taken immediately to stop
further spread of COVID-19 and protect not only the workers at these important
facilities but our communities as a whole.”
“I see problems in two places: the livestock
agriculture community and the meat processing workforce. I’m hearing from
workers that they feel completely expendable right now, particularly immigrant
workers who are trying to make a better life for themselves. They feel
particularly at risk,” said Senator Kevin Kinney of rural Oxford, a grain and
livestock farmer. “But outside those packing plants, farmers across the state
are concerned that unaddressed problems in the packing plants will lead
to widespread outbreaks in those facilities that could shut them down for long
periods of time. If that continues, we are going to have a lot of farmers with
no place to market hogs, chickens and cattle in this state.”
The Senators are calling for three immediate
points of action to address this crisis:
The State Labor Commissioner — with input from representatives of the major livestock processing companies, representatives of the major labor unions representing livestock processing workers, and the department of public health – must issue stricter requirements for worker safety operational standards and protocols that include consideration of systemic disinfecting, reorganizing, and reopening closed facilities after new safety measures are put in place.
As part of the process of seeking input on safety protocols, Iowa’s Labor Commissioner and Iowa Department of Public Health must also develop new public health crisis emergency rules for limiting the spread of COVID-19 in manufacturing and livestock processing facilities.
Iowa OSHA inspectors must immediately inspect each livestock processing facility to ensure current and any newly-enacted emergency rules and standards are being followed. According to the Labor Commissioner, not one meatpacking facility in Iowa has had an OSHA inspection since the public health emergency was declared.
“Protecting both Iowa workers and the nation’s
food supply is just too important for us to wait and see what happens as
individual meatpacking companies are left to lead on this.
Hoping for the best is a high-stakes gamble that threatens the health and
safety of thousands of Iowans,” Boulton said.
When trouble hits our state,
Iowans want leaders who talk straight and make sure all Iowans can be part of
the solution.
That’s true when we are
helping fellow Iowans recover from flooding, tornadoes and other natural
disasters. And it’s certainly true of our efforts to battle the COVID-19
pandemic.
If we are not all pulling in
the same direction, that hurts everyone.
Last fall, I had a
conversation with a member of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ team who was refusing to
invite lawmakers to attend a Maternal Health Summit to discuss such dangerous
trends as labor and delivery departments shuttering across the state at record
speed.
I reminded him, “You are the
Department of Public Health, not the Department of Private Health.”
Like many Iowans, I was
frustrated. I could see our health care infrastructure crumbling, and the
Reynolds administration was continuing its alarming pattern of not sharing
information.
Since the for-profit
privatized Medicaid program began, Iowa’s health care infrastructure has taken
a beating. Iowa’s nursing homes, rural hospitals, ambulance services and public
transportation services, and mental health providers were already financially
reeling before COVID-19 crossed our state’s borders.
The onset of this pandemic
was like pouring lighter fluid on Iowa’s financially shaky health care system.
In this perfect storm, the virus could trigger a wider health care disaster.
It’s impacted our everyday
lives, our jobs, our paychecks, our education, and our future. It’s gone
from being a public health crisis to a full-blown economic crisis, too.
Fortunately, Iowans want to
be part of the solution. That requires more Iowans knowing what is going
on. We deserve straightforward leadership that includes timely, accurate
data, and clear directions.
Iowa should take lessons from
leaders in states who are doing things right.
Governors who have been clear
in their message and have had tough conversations with the people they
represent about what to do to beat the virus are seeing better results. Most
important, they’ve acted quickly to save lives, knowing that time matters.
Leaders shouldn’t keep people
in the dark. There is no reason to withhold knowledge of COVID-19 cases from
Iowans who share the same living space or workspace with those infected. Iowa
families with relatives in nursing facilities and meatpacking plants deserve to
know immediately if their loved ones are being exposed.
Iowans are frustrated that
Reynolds is basing her decision-making on a “mystery model” instead of the
scientific modeling that other states are using, especially when they are
seeing better results elsewhere.
Iowans deserve to know the
governor’s plan for testing. The lack of widespread testing may give some a
false belief that COVID-19 is not going to hit our state as hard as it has hit
other states. The truth is that the continued lack of widespread testing and
contact tracing puts us at greater risk than states with more aggressive
testing measures.
Our continued shortage of
personal protective equipment should have more Iowans sounding the alarm
because it’s putting our front-line workforce in danger.
Overcoming the COVID-19
crisis will not be simple, but we can get there sooner with bold leadership,
better information, and more confidence that everything possible is being done
to protect the health and safety of all Iowans.
Iowans want to be part of the
solution. We want to help our front-line workforce. We want to protect our
friends and neighbors. Most important, we want more sunshine, especially from
the governor and her team.
For our latest COVID-19 updates, information and resources, go to wp.me/p8aBRy-7oW.
Iowa news on coronavirus
Legislators are receiving regular updates from state officials on coronavirus within Iowa.
It is normal to be concerned, especially with reports of illness and death, so we want to keep you posted on cases of COVID-19 and the state’s response.
At this time, 29 presumptive cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the following countied: Adair, Allamakee, Black Hawk, Carroll, Dallas, Harrison Johnson, Polk and Pottawatomie. The initial cases were people who had traveled to affected areas, but community spread is happening within Iowa.
How is the state responding?
The Governor has proclaimed a disaster emergency.
Iowa
Department of Public Health (IDPH) and their health care partners are doing
what they are trained to do to protect the patients, themselves and the
community. That includes:
** Upon discovery of the existence of substantial community spread of COVID-19 in the state, Gov. Reynolds is recommending that Iowa schools close for four weeks.
** The State Hygienic
Laboratory is equipped to test for cases of 2019 novel coronavirus in Iowa
residents.
** The Long-Term Care Ombudsman notes that many facilities are limiting visitation, but communication with loved ones will be available via phone, Facetime, Skype, etc. Concerns may be directed to the Ombudsman’s office at 866-236-1430.
According to IDPH, relevant information is being provided to schools, child cares, businesses, health providers, long-term care providers, emergency medical personnel, law enforcement and local public health partners.
There is a mandatory disease reporting order in place for
COVID-19. This means all providers must report positive results to IDPH for
public health surveillance and monitoring. Case numbers are updated regularly
and IDPH releases those details to the public.
What is COVID-19?
Coronavirus is a
respiratory illness. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath, appearing
two to 14 days after exposure. There is no current specific treatment for
COVID-19, but efforts are underway to evaluate potential therapeutics and
vaccines.
How it can spread
** Between people who are in close contact with one another
(within about 6 feet), via respiratory droplets produced when an infected
person coughs or sneezes. People are likely most contagious when they are most
symptomatic (the sickest).
** By touching a surface or object that has the virus on it
and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes, but this is not thought to be the
main way the virus spreads.
** Early on, many of the patients in the outbreak reportedly had some link to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting a potential animal-to-person spread. But chances are slim that pets or livestock could contract coronavirus.
How to prevent spread
** Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20
seconds, or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
** Don’t touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed
hands.
** Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
** Stay home when you are sick.
** Cover your mouth with your upper arm or tissue when
coughing or sneezing.
** Disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
What precautions should you take?
** Go about your normal routine, but plan what you will do
if you or a loved one gets sick. What would you do if you could not go to work
or school because of illness? What if your daycare provider was ill? How would
you get groceries if you were ill?
** Travelers returning from a country where COVID-19 is
spreading—currently China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea—are
encouraged to voluntarily self-isolate for 14 days following their return. If you
need to seek medical care, call ahead to your doctor’s office.
** Call 911 if you need immediate medical attention.
** Call 911 if you need immediate medical attention.
Upon discovery of the existence of substantial community spread of COVID-19 in the state, Gov. Reynolds is recommending that Iowa schools close for four weeks.
