Iowa news
Reynolds: All Iowa adults will be eligible for vaccine April 5, if supply increases as expected
Iowa will open eligibility to all Iowans to receive the coronavirus vaccine on April 5, contingent on Iowa receiving the increase in doses it’s expecting, Gov. Kim Reynolds said. Gov. Reynolds said the announcement comes as the national vaccine supply is expected to significantly increase over the next two weeks. Federal officials have approved the shots for use in Americans 16 or over. Younger children could be eligible as soon as next fall, experts have said. (Des Moines Register)
Jess Shever is exhausted. A year after the first case of novel coronavirus was discovered in Johnson County, Shever said there is an added emotional toll on her and her colleagues to do their jobs during the pandemic. Because visitors aren’t allowed in the hospital to minimize the spread of COVID-19, the responsibility of supporting patients and contacting family members for an over-the-phone visit adds more day-to-day work and emotional energy. Shever is a staff nurse in the medical intensive care unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, which has served as ground zero for COVID-19 patients over the last year. (The Daily Iowan)
IHA, members donate to Duane Meyer Memorial and boost live stream games
The Iowa Hospital Association and more than 20 hospital CEOs from northwest Iowa contributed to the Duane Meyer Memorial donation, which helped the Marshalltown school system purchase a new Hudl Focus Camera to bring all the sports action to live stream audiences on the Bobcat News Network YouTube channel. The camera follows the action by panning and zooming to ensure a great viewing experience. (BobcatHeadlines.org)
National news
When will everyone be vaccinated for COVID-19? Here’s how the vaccine rollout is going
On Dec. 8, 2020, President Joe Biden promised 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine would be administered by the end of his first 100 days in office. A little more than a month later, he said he believed it would be possible to administer 150 million doses in that time. The United States is now on track to have administered more than 150 million doses by April 30, Biden’s 100th day as president. (USA Today)
Why rural hospital closures hit a record high in 2020
About 60 million people live in rural areas and depend on their local hospitals for care. Last year, 20 of those hospitals closed, making 2020 a record year for rural hospital closures. Across the US, 136 rural hospitals have closed since 2010, according to the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. Of the states that have seen at least one rural hospital close over the past decade, Texas leads with 21 rural hospital closures. It’s followed by Tennessee, which has seen 16 hospitals close. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
Trends for health conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth in millennials seen as ‘alarming’
Millennial women are experiencing some of the highest increases in health conditions that could lead to higher risks of pregnancy and childbirth complications, an analysis by Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield shows. Millennial women, who are between the ages of 25 and 40 this year, currently make up 85% of all pregnancies. (Fearless)