Author: Theresa Rose

Getting through our public health emergency

It has been an exhausting week for many Iowans as we make immediate lifestyle changes to protect our families, workplaces and communities from the COVID-19 outbreak. Our jobs, schools, routines and plans have all been impacted.

As a legislator and fellow citizen, I am doing what I can to ensure this time of uncertainty is as short lived as possible.

To protect public health, the Legislature on Monday voted to ensure that tools are in place to keep Iowans safe and that key government services will be available.  We also suspended the 2020 session for 30 days.

Iowa Senate Democrats have established a webpage with emergency resources and information from key state offices, department and agencies at wp.me/p8aBRy-7oW. We will continue updating the page as new details become available.

Like you, I am now at home, doing my part to flatten the curve and save lives, as recommended by our public health experts.

But I am still working for you. As your state senator, I am here to help you navigate this difficult time. If you have questions, concerns or suggestions, please call me at 319-931-1568.

Most important, please take good care of yourself, your family, your friends and your neighbors. Together, we will get through this.

Additional information

This is a legislative update from State Senator Rich Taylor, representing Henry and Lee counties and portions of Washington and Jefferson counties. For bio, photos and further information, go to senate.iowa.gov/senator/taylor.

To contact Senator Rich Taylor when the Legislature is in session, call the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. Otherwise he can be reached at 319-931-1568. E-mail him at rich.taylor@legis.iowa.gov.

Senator Rich Taylor is an Assistant Leader. He serves on the following committees:

• Agriculture
• Judiciary
• Labor and Business Relations
• Veterans Affairs (Ranking Member)
• Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee

The Iowa Wesleyan University campus residence halls and the dining hall services will be closed beginning at 5pm on Tuesday, March 24.  However, students with extenuating circumstances have the opportunity to apply for a hardship waiver to remain on campus.  Those students who do remain on campus under this waiver will be taken care of by IWU essential staff.

The Campus will be closed to the public beginning at 5pm on Tuesday, March 24 and  many of the employees are working from home for the immediate future.

For further information, see the website at www.iw.edu/covid-19.

Henry County Public Health has created a webpage compiling the top fact sheets, resources, and websites with information about the coronavirus (COVID-19). Visit www.HealthyHenryCounty.org/PublicHealth to find the latest information, reliable sources, and local updates all in one place. We are in this together. Please call 319-385-0779 if you have any questions.

Public Health is also looking for updates on our community organizations to add to the community updates page of the website, especially information regarding ways to help our vulnerable populations meet their basic needs.  Grocery delivery to the elderly is one area of need already identified they are trying to find resources on. If you have a flyer, news release, or just information with details about new services or changes in service delivery that your business, community organization, church, or self are implementing in response to this pandemic. Contact public at 319-385-0779.

Gov. Reynolds signs additional State Public Health Emergency Declaration, will hold press conference today 

DES MOINES – Today, Gov. Reynolds issued an additional State Public Health Emergency Declaration effective immediately providing additional regulatory relief to Iowans impacted by this public health disaster. She will hold a press conference today at 2:00 p.m., details on that are forthcoming.

The declaration relaxes a number of restrictions and regulations and provides relief from other statutes and state regulations:  

• Temporarily suspends collection of property taxes and penalties and interest
• Temporarily suspends some evictions under the Iowa Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act or the Manufactured Home Communities or Mobile Home Parks Residential Landlord and Tenant Act in certain circumstances
• Extends expiration deadline for a permit to carry and a permit to acquire a firearm and additional measures
• Permits the sale of carry-out, delivery, drive-thru of alcohol for unopened bottles of alcohol for bars and restaurants and suspends some fees
• Permits public meetings or hearings by electronic means to improve the functions of government while maintaining social distancing practices
• Suspends certain regulations to ease the transportation of agricultural supplies and commodities, food, medical supplies, cleaning products, and other household goods on all highways in Iowa
• The proclamation also allows related state agencies to implement the state’s public health emergency plan

Due to the evolving situation with COVID-19, HCHC has implemented new visitor restrictions. People under the age of 18 will not be allowed to visit. Inpatient units are limited to the same two visitors for the entire time they are hospitalized. These two people who are designated by patients may visit multiple times if they pass a brief health screening.

The following departments have more specific restrictions:

• Park Place – Visitors restricted.
• Maternity Services – Visitors restricted.
• Emergency Department – One adult may visit for the length of the visit.  Only the patient and that one designated person may wait in the waiting room.
• Rehabilitation Services – One adult may accompany the patient and wait in the waiting room for the length of visit.

These visitation restrictions were made in accordance with Iowa Department of Public Health guidelines. Please be advised that these guidelines may change in the future and we will continue to keep the public updated.

The Main Lobby entrance is now open 6 am-5 pm. Effective Friday, March 20, there will be front entrance points separating well and ill patients for screening purposes. Well patients coming into the health center will go to the outside ambulatory surgery door for screening before entering the facility (this door is located to the right of the main entrance and will be marked with signage). A “well clinic” for patients who are not sick will be established in the Specialty Clinic.  Ill patients will come to the Main Lobby entrance for screening. Physicians & Clinics of HCHC rural health clinic will be designated as the “ill clinic.”

MOUNT PLEASANT – The 2020 Census Forms have arrived! This information is crucial to Mount Pleasant and Henry County. It is a snapshot of America that determines how congressional seats are apportioned, how state and federal dollars are distributed, where businesses choose to ship products and where they build new stores. To do all that properly, the count needs to be accurate.

“We hope that everyone knows just how important this count is to our community. We need you to fill out your form today”, said Kristi Ray, Executive Vice President of the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance.

• Over $400 billion per year is allocated throughout the nation with help from census data, including programs such as public health, education and infrastructure. State and local funds are often distributed based on population, meaning that every person is important when advocating for funding. The strength of census statistics and data also helps inform many public policy proposals at all levels of government.

• The number of congressional districts in a state may shift based on increases or decreases in population over the previous decade, which affects congressional representation and state electoral votes. This reapportionment of seats in the House of Representatives and resulting change in electoral votes helps dictate the geographic shift in political power within the United States.

• Restaurants such as Jimmy Johns, Dominos and Starbucks all have population requirements before they will come into a community. If we grow in population, we have a much better chance of getting new restaurants and businesses in town.

• The City of Mount Pleasant receives $125.00 per person from the State of Iowa in Road Use Tax every year for a period of 10 years.  Every person over our current population of 8,688 (2010 census) is $125.00 more we have to spend on our streets.

By now, everyone should have received a survey in the mail asking you to be counted in the Census. PLEASE, complete that form and make sure that everyone in your household gets counted. If you have questions about this process, please contact Kristi Ray at the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance at 319-385-3101 or email kristi@mpiowa.org.

The Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance exists to improve the quality of life for Henry County residents through economic growth. The Chamber consists of 360 businesses, organizations and individual members.

A state public hotline has been established for Iowans with questions about COVID-19. The line is available 24/7 by calling 2-1-1 or 1-800-244-7431. The governor’s office and the Iowa Department of Public Health will be transitioning to mid morning updates as testing capabilities have expanded.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has been notified of 6 additional positive cases of Iowans with COVID-19, for a total of 44 positive cases. 642 negative tests have been conducted at the State Hygienic Lab.

According to IDPH, three individuals reside in Polk County, one adult 19-40, one middle aged adult 41-60, and one older adult 61-80.  One adult 19-40 living in Muscatine County, one middle aged adult 41-60 living in Dubuque County; and one adult 19-40 living in Johnson County is an adult in. Two additional non-residents of Iowa tested positive at Iowa healthcare facilities for COVID-19.

Just a reminder, school will be open March 19 from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM for students to gather belongings, medications as well as computers for all K-12 students. We ask that you enter each building through the front doors and we will limit the number of students to 10 at a time in the building. If you are unable to make it in tomorrow to grab things please call the Central Office to make other arrangements at 319-367-0512. Please see our Facebook page for specific details for each building.