COVID-19 Cases on the Rise, KMAland Health Officials Report

Reports of increases in COVID-19 cases are being seen in parts of KMAland, including Montgomery County and Page County. Samantha Beeson, who serves as the public health administrator for both counties, states that there are signs of an uptick in COVID cases. The data available so far only goes up until September 2nd and indicates low-level transmissions in both counties. The recent flu report from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services shows a statewide COVID positive rate of 15.5% with 120 hospitalizations in the past week. Symptoms of this latest strain of COVID may resemble those of other illnesses experienced during this time of year, such as the common cold and allergies. Beeson advises people to be diligent about washing their hands and monitoring their symptoms.

Changes have been made to the distribution policy for the COVID vaccine. Previously, local public health offices ordered vaccines for all clinics in their county. However, as of September 11th, the state has privatized the vaccine distribution. Each clinic is now responsible for ordering their own vaccines, while local public health offices will provide the vaccine for those who are underinsured or have no insurance. Individuals with medical insurance who need the additional vaccination can contact their local healthcare provider or pharmacy.

Note: If you notice any typos or mistakes in our reporting, please email us at kmaradio@kmaland.com. Thank you for reading kmaland.com.