Iowa news

As another COVID-19 winter break looms, Iowa schools differ on when it’s ‘safe’ to unmask

Iowa public school officials who enacted mask requirements this fall are facing tough questions about how and when to determine it’s “safe” to phase them out. Nobody seems to have an answer. As winter break arrives, Burlington, Dubuque, Council Bluffs, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo school districts have all independently created guidance used to determine when masks should be required. Each set of guidelines is different from the next, but they all rely on factors related to COVID-19 transmission. Examples include county-level positivity rates, the percentage of absences and positive cases in school buildings, and transmission levels as determined by public health agencies. (Des Moines Register)

National news

Oracle nears deal to buy Cerner for $30B

Oracle is negotiating to acquire Kansas City, Missouri-based electronic health record vendor Cerner in a deal that could be valued at about $30 billion, The Wall Street Journal has reported. An agreement between the two technology companies could be reached soon, people familiar with the deal told the Journal.  Cerner’s market value is about $23 billion; the purchase could increase the company’s value to around $30 billion, according to the report. (Becker’s Healthcare)