Iowa news
How are Iowa’s neighbors handling their vaccine rollout?
Iowa is relying on a patchwork of services, health care and public health departments to get COVID-19 vaccinations into residents’ arms. But that’s not a unique approach to the challenge of getting huge populations vaccinated quickly during the coronavirus pandemic. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced on Feb. 17 that she would cancel a planned Microsoft contract to create a new, comprehensive system for vaccination appointments. She opted instead to strengthen and tie together existing systems and public health departments. (Des Moines Register)
Clive Behavioral Health opens — with limited initial capacity
Central Iowans seeking inpatient or outpatient behavioral health care for themselves or a family member now have another option with the opening of Clive Behavioral Health. The new 83,000-square-foot hospital, which officially opened this week, is a joint partnership of MercyOne and Universal Health Services. UHS, a large publicly traded health services company that operates hospitals and stand-alone clinics nationwide, will oversee the day-to-day operations and management of the new behavioral health facility. (Business Record)
Cedar Rapids free clinic opens COVID vaccine waitlist to anyone 65 and older via phone, mail
Cedar Rapids’ free medical clinic has established a waitlist for older Iowans struggling to get a COVID-19 vaccine appointment online. Starting Wednesday, Iowans 65 and older can call the Community Health Free Clinic at 319-200-2550 to add their name to a list of people interested in obtaining a vaccine from the clinic’s providers. People do not have to be patients at the clinic to receive a shot. As the clinic receives its weekly allocations of COVID-19 vaccines, officials there will call people on the waitlist and schedule an appointment to be vaccinated. (The Gazette)
National news
US reaches 500,000 coronavirus deaths in under a year, a once-unthinkable milestone
The US once again crossed a somber COVID-19 threshold much faster than any other country. Less than a year after the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic, the US recorded its 500,000th death Monday, according to the Johns Hopkins University dashboard. That’s more than twice the COVID-19 fatalities registered in Brazil, which ranks second on the list. (Des Moines Register)
Extreme winter weather creates backlog of six million vaccine doses
White House officials have confirmed the extent of the weather’s chilling effect on COVID-19 vaccine distribution, saying last week’s storms created a backlog of some six million doses affecting all 50 states. That number represents three days’ worth of delayed shipments, said Andy Slavitt, senior adviser on the White House COVID-19 Response Team. He added that many states have covered some of the delay with their existing inventory, and that the Biden administration expects to make up the backlog shortly. (Iowa Public Radio)
Short of vaccine, states find hidden stashes in their backyards
When tiny glass vials of coronavirus vaccine began rolling off production lines late last year, federal health officials set aside a big stash for nursing homes being ravaged by the virus. Health providers around the country figured as well that it was prudent to squirrel away vials to ensure that everyone who got a first dose of vaccine got a second one. Two months later, it is clear both strategies went overboard. (New York Times)