COVID-19 UpdateCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE
SUMMARY:
SUGGESTED
DISPOSITION:
Copyrighted
May 2, 2022
Presentation(s) # 1.
COVID-19 Update
Public Health Specialist Mary Rose Corrigan will provide an update on
the COVI D-19 pandemic and response activities.
Dubuque
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TO: Mike Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist
SUBJECT: COVID-19 City Council update
DATE: May 2, 2022
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Health Services Department
City Hall Annex
1300 Main Street
Dubuque,IA 52001
Office (563) 589-4181
Fax (563) 589-4299
TTY (563) 589-4193
health@cityofdubuque.org
www.cityofdubuque.org
The Dubuque County Public Health Incident Management (IMT) team consisting of City
of Dubuque Health Services Department (Mary Rose Corrigan) Dubuque County Health
Department, (Interim Director, Samantha Kloft) VNA (Stacey Killian) and the Dubuque
County Emergency Management Agency (Tom Berger), along with both hospitals
continue monitoring the pandemic and providing guidance. However, members of the
IMT and community healthcare partners are now gradually resuming "pre -pandemic"
activities. The IMT also consists of City of Dubuque Health Services Department
Environmental Sanitarians Tim Link and Sydney Moquin who are spending much less
time on the pandemic response. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) provides
information via Health Alerts and their website. Randy Gehl continues to serve as the
Public Information (PIO) officer for the IMT.
CURRENT INFORMATION
Iowa Coronavirus dashboard with case counts and other related COVID -19 data can be
found at
https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus/COVID-1 9-Reporting
Case and Vaccination Data Via CDC:
https:Hcovid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home
Vaccination scheduling and access information can be found at
https://www.cityofdubugue.org/2965/COVID-19-Vaccinations and
and at https:Hvaccinefinder.org/
Dubuque VNA
VNA continues to operate the public call center for Dubuque County 7 days/week for
general COVID questions along with quarantine and isolation specifics. To date VNA
has fielded over 48,413 calls/contacts from the community and continues to administer
vaccines. Along with free vaccinations, VNA distributes home Testlowa COVID test kits
to anyone needing a test, free of charge.
Emergency Management Agency (EMA)
In March, 2022, there were no requests for supplies at the county EMA. The Regional
node as been closed, but we do maintain local supplies in storage. In partnership with
Hartig Drug, N95 masks are available to community members and organizations upon
request.
Hospital Capacity Planning
With COVID-19 hospitalizations continuing to fluctuate, the IMT meets bi-weekly with
hospitals to assess local capacity and patient load. Local hospital data can be accessed
via the Health and Human Services Public Health Protect Website:
https://protect-public.hhs.gov/pages/hospital-utilization
The IMT will continue to monitor hospital capacity and capability and communicate
with MercyOne and UnityPoint Finley Hospitals as needed.
Public Information
The City Public Information Office (PIO), in conjunction with the Incident Management
Team (IMT), continues to produce and distribute weekly County COVID updates with
important messages to residents as well as new data on new cases, hospitalizations,
deaths, and vaccinations. The PIO office responds to news media requests for
interviews and information and assists the IMT with general messaging/communication
needs. The PIO continues to track multiple metrics for the IMT and update the COVID-
19 webpage on the City website. Videos featuring Public Health Specialist Mary Rose
Corrigan are produced when needed and distributed through all available channels. In
addition to continued marketing of vaccinations, PIO staff are promoting booster doses
and clinics where they are available.
COVID- 19 Vaccination
The IMT continues to manage the IDPH vaccine allocations and distribution, primarily
through the VNA.
As of May 1, 2022, 34,987booster doses have been administered in Dubuque County
and 64.5% of the total county populations are fully vaccinated. This is a slight increase
from the 63.8% reported on April 4, 2022. The Dubuque County Sleeves Up phone line
at (563) 587-4950 will continue to be staffed by the City Manager's Office.
In addition to multiple vaccine providers in Dubuque County, Ongoing walk-in VNA
clinics at 660 Iowa St are available on:
Mondays 3-6 pm -WALK INS: 5/16 and 6/6/2022
Fridays 8-430pm-WALK INS: 5/6, 5/13 and 5/20, 2022
Testing
Local providers offering COVID-19 continue to have adequate test supplies and
availability. Testing providers report less demand for COVID-19 testing. In addition to
isolating when you have COVID symptoms, the Dubuque County Public Health Incident
Management Team encourages residents who are symptomatic for COVID-19, but test
negative with a rapid self -test, to follow-up that test with a Test Iowa PCR test.
Rapid, at-home tests (antigen tests) cannot detect small amounts of the virus or
asymptomatic cases as accurately as the PCR test can, so there is a greater chance for
a false negatives with rapid tests. PCR tests can detect even a small trace of the virus
in your system whereas the rapid, at-home tests can only determine if you have an
active virus in your body.
Test Iowa test kits are free and available for pick-up at multiple locations in Dubuque
County, for a complete list, visit https://www.testiowa.com/en#find-a-pick-up-site
Currently, the average time for Test Iowa results (email confirmation) after being
received at the lab is 12-24 hours.
Federal test via mail: https://www.covidtests.gov/
Dubuque County in home testlowa pick-up sites include:
https://www.cityofdubugue.org/2940/Local-COVI D-19-Testing-Options
Testing options are updated regularly and posted at
https://www.cityofdubugue.org/2940/Local-COVI D-19-Testing-Options
The Variants, Cases and Transmission
The State Hygienic Laboratory (SHL) continues to sequence approximately 300 positive
samples per week for variants. Omicron accounted for 100% of the positive COVID
tests in Dubuque County during February and March, that were sequenced for variants
by the SHL. Transmission has slowed and is now not as accurate indicator of the
spread since negative cases are not reported along with home, rapid tests. Although
the CDC reports 16.44 cases per 100,000 population for Dubuque County and a
"substantial" transmission level , the new indicator for COVID is "the community level."
Dubuque County is in the "Low" community level category. Levels can be low, medium,
or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions,
and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area.
Looking ahead
Modify the IMT COVID-19 response based on the case transmission, CDC
Community Level and community needs.
• COVID-19 After Action Report: The IMT has started the process of completing an
after -action report for Dubuque Conty's ongoing COVID-19 response. This
includes looking at potential funding sources, developing a project timeline, and
researching subcontractors to potentially organize this on behalf of the county.
• Provide ongoing education and access for COVID -19 testing, vaccination and
other guidance to all populations, with the assistance of the Equity Immersion
Committee and many community partners.
• Continue community vaccine education and administration as eligibility and
availability changes.
• Implementing and distributing ever changing guidance from CDC, IDPH.
• Monitor and provide community education on SARS CoV2 variants.
• Provide COVID-19 guidance for special events and activities
• Continue assurance of COVID 19 testing access and in -home kit distribution as
supplies and testing providers are available
• Monitor county transmission rates and community level status to provide up to
date information on masking and other mitigation strategies.
• Currently approximately 40% of my time is devoted to COVID-19
DUBUQUE CITY COUNCIL
COVID-19 UPDATE
May 2, 2022
Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist
Positive Cases -Rolling 7 Day Volume Dubuque County
Mar 1, 2020 -May 1, 2022
Positive Cases -Rolling 7 Day Volume Dubuque County
Apr 1, 2022 -May 1, 2022
●109 cases Last 7 days
COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION & HOSPITALIZATION
All Variants by Month Dubuque County 100% Omicron
Iowa 99.6% Omicron
Dataset last updated: May 02, 2022
CDC COMMUNITY
LEVEL
Dubuque County: LOW
Weekly Metrics Used to Determine the COVID-
19 Community Level
Case Rate per 100,000 population 67.82
New COVID-19 admissions per
100,000 population 8.2
% Staffed inpatient beds in use by
patients with confirmed COVID-19 1.2%
Apr 20-26, 2022
Population with SARS-CoV2 antibodies
Sept 2021-Feb 2022
●U.S. seroprevalence increased from 33.5% to 57.7%
●Children 0-11 years 44.2% to 75.2%
●Children 12-17 years 45.6% to 74.2%
●All age groups increased in seroprevalence
SEROPREVALENCE OF INFECTION WHO’S HAD COVID?
https://www.dubuquecountyiowa.gov/567/COVID-19-Vaccinations
Ongoing walk-in VNA clinics at 660 Iowa St
▪Mondays 3-6 pm 5/15, 6/6/22
▪Fridays 8-430pm : 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/16, 6/6/22
SleevesUp Phone Line: (563) 690-6253
VNA Phone Line: (563) 556-6200
•64.5 % of County population is fully vaccinated
•57% of fully vaccinated are UP TO DATE
(have received 1 booster)
Dubuque County COVID-19 Vaccine Access
9
SHOULD I GET A BOOSTER?
Are You Eligible?
•50 years of age or older and got your first booster at
least 4 months ago
•Are moderately or severely immunocompromised, 12
years of age or older,and got your first booster at least
4 months ago
•Got 2 doses of J&J/Janssen vaccine at least 4 months ago
ARE YOU (OR SOMEONE YOU LIVE WITH) MORE
LIKELY TO GET SICK?
Factors to consider
•Moderately or severely immunocompromised
•More likely to get very sick from COVID-19
•More likely to be exposed to COVID-19 through your job, where
you live, or other factors (such as frequent travel or large
gatherings)
•In an area with medium to high COVID-19 community levels
•Or if someone you live with is unvaccinated
CAN I WAIT ?
And how long?
•Had COVID-19 within the past 3 months
•Apprehension due to potentially getting another booster in the fall, new
variants or new vaccine becomes available
•Minimum of 4 months since first COVID booster
•90 days post COVID-19 infection
13
QUESTIONS?
Next update: June 6, 2022
Thank-you