Iowa should receive 172,000 doses of the two COVID-19 vaccines currently under consideration for emergency use approval by the end of the month, Gov. Kim Reynolds said during her news conference on Thursday. The FDA will issue a decision on whether to approve use of a vaccine by Pfizer on a emergency basis on Dec. […]
COVID-19
CRCSD students will return to in-person instruction next week
Students in the Cedar Rapids Community School District (CRCSD) will return to in-person learning the week of Dec. 7, the district announced on Thursday. CRCSD began district-wide remote learning on Thursday, Nov. 12, after its two-week waiver was approved by the Department of Education. The district then applied for another waiver to extend virtual learning […]
White House Coronavirus Task Force warns the country is ‘in a very dangerous place,’ ranks Iowa sixth for rate of new cases
In its latest report, the White House Coronavirus Task Force warns the entire country is “in a very dangerous place due to the current, extremely high COVID baseline and limited hospital capacity; a further post-Thanksgiving surge will compromise COVID patient care, as well as medical care overall.” “The COVID risk to all Americans is at […]
Gov. Reynolds: Despite budget surplus, Iowa won’t provide any new COVID-19 relief; ‘Congress needs to step up’
Gov. Kim Reynolds called on Congress to pass a new relief package to address COVID-19 needs, because Iowa won’t be dedicating any new state funds to help people and businesses, as she made clear on Tuesday. “It’s time for Congress to come together and get a relief package passed and get some relief to our […]
As Iowa finishes a record-setting month for COVID deaths and cases, a Dallas County bar owner sues to overturn restrictions on businesses
At 10 a.m. on Monday, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported 2,403 people had died from COVID-19 in the course of the pandemic in Iowa, an increase of 28 deaths since 10 a.m. on Sunday. Among the deceased were a resident of Johnson County and a resident of Linn County. Monday’s deaths bring the […]
Iowa reports 47 COVID deaths, a new one-day record
At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported another 47 deaths from COVID-19, the highest total the department has recorded during a 24-hour period. The previous one-day record number for reported COVID-19 deaths happened one week ago, when IDPH reported 40 deaths on Nov. 18. The newly reported deaths increased Iowa’s […]
Iowa City schools will keep all classes online through Dec. 11
The Iowa City Community School District announced on Tuesday night it has received a waiver from the Iowa Department of Education (DOE) permitting it to extend its use of all-online instruction for an additional two weeks. The district switched to its distance learning model on Nov. 16, due to the surge in new cases of […]
COVID-19: Gov. Reynolds fears ‘over-mitigating’ as Iowa’s care facilities flounder
Iowa had the fifth-highest rate of new cases of COVID-19 in the country last week, according to the latest White House Coronavirus Task Force report. The report, which was sent to the governor’s office on Sunday and published by ABC News on Tuesday, said Iowa had the third-highest positivity rate in its COVID-19 tests of […]
CRCSD applies for waiver to continue all-online learning after Thanksgiving break
The Cedar Rapids Community School District (CRCSD) has applied for another waiver from the Iowa Department of Education (DOE) to extend virtual learning by another two weeks following Thanksgiving break, Superintendent Noreen Bush announced on Tuesday in a message to families. CRCSD began district-wide remote learning on Thursday, Nov. 12, after its two-week waiver was […]
COVID-19: Iowa records 78 deaths over the weekend; hospitalizations decline slightly ahead of Thanksgiving travel
Another 8,689 Iowans tested positive for COVID-19 between 10 a.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Monday, including 263 residents of Johnson County and 589 residents of Linn County, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. The new cases bring the total number of Iowans who have tested positive for the virus to 211,722. […]
Iowa surpasses 200,000 COVID cases; Republican lawmakers talk about relaxing restrictions
During her news conference on Thursday morning, Gov. Kim Reynolds said the number of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities with COVID-19 outbreaks was about to spike by 20; but as of Friday afternoon, the Iowa Department of Public Health has added 25, pushing the number of ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities to […]
A pandemic PSA premieres as COVID-19 ravages care facilities, holidays loom
Gov. Kim Reynolds started her news conference on Thursday by citing a COVID-19 development she considered encouraging. “Hospitalizations remain high across the state, but yesterday was the first day in weeks where we saw a slight decrease in the overall number of Iowans hospitalized,” Reynolds said. “So this gives us hope as well, but one […]

