Iowa news
Cedar Rapids hospital officials warn of COVID-19 surge
Public health and hospital officials say COVID-19 cases are “increasing significantly” in the Cedar Rapids area and they’re urging residents to get vaccinated and take other steps to prevent the spread of the virus. Dr. Tony Myers, Chief Medical Officer at the Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, said they moved the pediatric unit over the weekend to convert an entire floor of the hospital for care of COVID-19 patients. (Radio Iowa)
Vaccines not required for Boone hospital employees, but not off the table
The Boone County Hospital continues to limit visitors and require the wearing of masks. The hospital’s walk-in clinic has seen an increase in traffic since last month, mainly because of COVID-19 and seasonal allergies. Earlier this summer, MercyOne Medical Center, Broadlawns Medical Center, UnityPoint Health and the Veterans Medical Center announced they would mandate the vaccine for employees, beginning Nov. 1. It is something the Boone County Hospital is considering. (Ames Tribune)
Urgent care psychiatric services now available in Siouxland
Siouxland Mental Health opened a first-of-its-kind psychiatric urgent care clinic in Siouxland. The only way to get psychiatric health before this was to go to a therapist and get a referral. This should ease the crunch on hospitals and provide immediate aid for mental health issues. (Siouxland News)
National news
After FDA approves Pfizer vaccine, several steps remain before kids under 12 can be vaccinated
The Food and Drug Administration’s decision to grant full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 16 and up is a pandemic milestone, but parents may wonder what it means for their young children who still aren’t authorized to get vaccinated. Although the approval doesn’t cover young people ages 12-15, they can still get the Pfizer vaccine through emergency-use authorization. (NBC News)
Hospitals closing off-site ERs to buttress central ER staffs
Texas hospital systems are increasingly closing temporarily their off-site emergency rooms and sending their staff to their hospitals to support staff overstretched by COVID-19. Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston closed three suburban emergency rooms Monday in Kingwood, Spring and Sienna to help ease the burden on its hospital staffs, it said in a statement. (US News)
Unvaccinated people over 29 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19, CDC report finds
A report published Tuesday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that, based on data out of Los Angeles County, unvaccinated people are almost 5 times more likely be infected and over 29 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19. (NBC News)