Linn County Public Health has noted an increase in COVID-19 cases from July to August.
The agency is so concerned with the spikes in COVID-19 cases that they released a letter to area school boards throughout Linn County asking for districts to urge the use of face coverings in area schools.
In the letter sent to school districts, the agency noted that Linn County’s vaccine coverage is lower than 60%, and that the Delta variant’s continued transmission threatens all individuals in the county.
The letter also cited page 15 of Iowa House File 847, noting school authorities may use facial covertings when it is “necessary for a specific extracurricular or instructional purpose.”
Pramod Dwivedi, director of Linn County Public Health, noted Tuesday, Aug. 24, that COVID-19 cases increased significantly over the past five weeks.
Of the increased case counts of COVID-19 in the county, 83 percent can be attributed to the Delta variant, he said.
There has been nine deaths attributed to the virus thus far in August in the county. In July, there was only a single COVID-19 death In Linn County.
With roughly 55 percent of the population fully vaccinated and 4 percent of the population partially vaccinated, Dwivedi and others continued to urge people to get vaccinated to help reduce the numbers of cases that end up in hospitals with severe infections.
The agency also encouraged citizens to do their part and limit the vaccine’s spread, primarily by maintaining social distance, avoiding large group gatherings where possible and wearing a mask in indoor spaces, whether vaccinated or not.
Dr. Dustin Arnold, Unity Point Cedar Rapids, noted if case counts continue to increase, it will require both hospitals in Cedar Rapids to redirect resources to take care of COVID-19 patients as they have in the past.
“Those who need critical care will still get treated at the hospitals, but it may require routine and preventative health care visits are put on hold to deal with the COVID-19 patients,” Arnold said.
A significant number of patients they are seeing are from unvaccinated individuals and a majority are younger than 40, Arnold said. Vaccinated individuals generally require less hospitalization time than those who are unvaccinated.
Dr. Tony Myers with Mercy Medical Services in Cedar Rapids noted that the hospitals wanted to raise awareness of the increased hospitalizations like they did last November, as the community helped the hospitals by following guidance last year to slow the spread.
Mercy and Unity Point are tackling the increased cases with COVID-19 with a smaller pool of workers, as many nurses and health care professionals are leaving the profession.
“Everyone is frustrated and burnt out from this pandemic,” Myers said.
Myers noted that Mercy has 33 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, which is a drastic increase to the single patient count they had in both the months of June and July.
While the 60 percent vaccination rate in the county has reduced the numbers needing hospitalization, there have been breakthrough cases.
What concerns Myers, though, is the capacity for youth at area hospitals.
“We usually see children hospitalized far less than adults,” Myers said.
Myers noted that the health care systems are seeing an increase in RSV cases for children, which requires oxygen treatment for youth. RSV is a respiratory illness most common in infants and young children.
“While kids do contract the Delta variant much easier, it’s usually with cases with a much more mild illness,” Myers said. “We’re watching the capacity of our hospital for younger patients very carefully.”
Myers expects kids going back to school will affect numbers of cases, but what that impact will be is still unknown.
Myers also noted that looking at the peaks for states to the south of Iowa, they reached their peaks with their outbreaks roughly 44 days after their spikes began. That puts this particular spike in our region starting in late July and lasting until the first weeks in September.
Heather Meador with Linn County Public Health noted that the most effective tool against COVID-19 is to get vaccinated, and that the Pfizer vaccine was now FDA approved officially. She also encouraged people to stay home when sick or if they came in close contact with someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19.