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COVID-19 Update Copyrighted April 19, 2021 City of Dubuque Presentation(s) # 1. City Council Meeting ITEM TITLE: COVID-19 Update SUM MARY: Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist for the City of Dubuque, will provide an update on the COVI D-19 pandemic and response activities. SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: https://cityofdubuque-my.sharepoint.com/personal/mcorriga_cityofdubuque_org/Documents/Coronavirus/COVID presentations/Covid PP city council/2021 4.19 City Council update.docx TO: Mike Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist SUBJECT: COVID-19 City Council Work Session update DATE: April 19, 2021 BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Dubuque County Public Health Incident Management (IMT) team consisting of City of Dubuque Health Services Department (Mary Rose Corrigan) Dubuque County Health Department, (Patrice Lambert) VNA (Stacey Killian) and the Dubuque County Emergency Management Agency (Tom Berger), along with both hospitals continue in full activation. The IMT also consists of county Health Department Assistant Director, Samantha Kloft and City of Dubuque Health Services Department Environmental Sanitarians Tim Link and Sydney Moquin. We are coordinating our response efforts in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), and with guidance from CDC via weekly webinars and direct contact with our regional epidemiologist. Randy Gehl serves as the Public Information (PIO) officer for the IMT. Another section of the IMT is vulnerable populations, lead by Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director. The vulnerable populations section is assisted by other city staff and many community partners. CURRENT INFORMATION Current case counts and other related COVID -19 data can be found at www.coronavirus.iowa.gov. COVID -19 Vaccine administration data can be found at https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/pages/vaccineinformation#VaccineInformation Vaccination scheduling and access information can be found at Vaccinate.Iowa.gov, and at https://vaccinefinder.org/ Long Term Care facility status: Dubuque County currently has no long term care facility (LTC) outbreaks and the state of Iowa reports two current outbreaks. 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 https://cityofdubuque-my.sharepoint.com/personal/mcorriga_cityofdubuque_org/Documents/Coronavirus/COVID presentations/Covid PP city council/2021 4.19 City Council update.docx Schools The Public Health Incident Management team continues to provide guidance and planning assistance with the county colleges and universities and the K-12 districts. Dubuque County K-12 schools have had 55 positive cases so far during April, 2021, which is up from the 44 total during March, 2021. The IMT is asking schools to assist in promoting vaccination among students 16 years and older. Schools are assessing the need to host school-based vaccination clinics for students and families. The Dubuque County higher education institution representatives have met weekly with the IMT to prepare for vaccinations. The IDPH has included colleges and universities as priorities for receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, but just before that effort was underway in Dubuque, local vaccine providers were able to pivot and substitute Pfiezer vaccine for the colleges. All colleges in Dubuque County have began vaccinating students along with remaining faculty and staff that have not yet received vaccine. Second doses will be administered prior to the local higher education institutions finishing their spring semesters. Dubuque VNA Continues to operate the public call center for Dubuque County 7 days/week for general COVID questions. To date VNA has fielded over 40,652 contacts calls/contact from the community. The VNA continues contact tracing for positive cases along with providing daily public health follow up to two facilities including local school districts. VNA staff have administered 4842 vaccines and today joined in utilizing the software the city purchased for their scheduling. VNA continues working with Kelly Larson and the Equity Immersion committee to schedule vulnerable populations through various ways including paper tickets that break down barriers for scheduling. VNA gives 30 appointments each week at the POD to guarantee they go to the vulnerable populations through the Equity Immersion committee through their individual and targeted efforts. Additionally, VNA has onsite Spanish translation on both Thursday and Fridays to assist. VNA also has onsite Marshallese translation on Fridays at the clinic as well. Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Tom Berger reports they do not need to travel to the regional node in Cedar Rapids to pick up requested PPE due to demand for supplies decreasing steadily. The EMA is transitioning to packing 30 day supplies of gowns, masks, gloves and face shields to place in storage for future spikes in cases or future events. The EMA continues to provide logistical and operational support for the POD and ongoing vaccination planning in conjunction with City Health Services staff. Hospital Capacity Planning The IMT continues to monitor hospital capacity and capability and communicate with MercyOne and UnityPoint Finley Hospitals. This https://cityofdubuque-my.sharepoint.com/personal/mcorriga_cityofdubuque_org/Documents/Coronavirus/COVID presentations/Covid PP city council/2021 4.19 City Council update.docx includes closely monitoring new cases, outbreaks and other data points to assure that hospitals continue to plan for surges while maintaining services for other non-COVID-19 patients. The alternative care site contract has ended and those needing isolation, quarantine housing will utilize local hotels. The Dubuque County case manager who managed the isolation and quarantine shelter assists oversees the process for those needing this resource. Public Information The IMT, in conjunction with the City Public Information (PIO) Office, continues to provide daily COVID-19 updates along with social media posts and fielding and responding to a variety of news media requests. The daily updates continue to report new positive cases, active cases, deaths, and test positivity but now emphasize vaccinations, including the percentage of the total county population fully vaccinated. A new "SleevesUp!" Dubuque County campaign is well underway to promote vaccinations, expanded vaccination eligibility and where vaccines can be accessed. Social media posts and videos featuring messages on vaccine safety and effectiveness as well as testimonials from county board of health members and city council members are running and a countywide billboard campaign is underway featuring multiple messages on 10 different locations. Sixty-second commercials are also running on five different radio stations in the county. Posters and flyers are also being distributed. Additional targeted vaccine information is being produced for various audiences and events. PIO staff will continue to provide messaging that explains the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines and addresses FAQs and misinformation and they will promote public vaccination clinics as they become available COVID- 19 Vaccination The IMT continues to manage the IDPH vaccine allocations along with the allocations local pharmacies are receiving through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. We receive allocation notifications on Wednesday mornings which requires expeditious planning for local distribution and administration by the IMT and the local providers. The local distribution request must be returned to IDPH by Thursday at noon and the vaccines arrive here anytime between Friday and Tuesday. Nine local Federal Retail Pharmacy Providers are now receiving allocations: MercyOne, HyVee, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS (Target), INFOCUS, Union, Prescription Shoppe, and Hartig Drug, along with Crescent Community Health Center receiving doses through the Federal Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program. These allocations have increased significantly over the next several weeks. A community point of distribution (POD) for vaccine providers to administer vaccines has been operational since Feb 10, 2021 at the Kennedy Mall former women’s Younkers store. Unity Point Finley, Grand River Medical Group, VNA, Medical Associates and Union Family Pharmacy continue to utilize the POD. https://cityofdubuque-my.sharepoint.com/personal/mcorriga_cityofdubuque_org/Documents/Coronavirus/COVID presentations/Covid PP city council/2021 4.19 City Council update.docx The Grand River Center (GRC) POD, developed by staffed by the Dubuque Fire Department and city staff under the guidance of the IMT, has hosted two drive through clinics. On April 8, 2021 205 Jassen vaccines were administered and on April 15, 2021, 126 Pfiezer doses were administered. The Dubuque County Board of Supervisors is funding the major portion of the operation. A vaccine clinic is scheduled at the POD this Thursday, April 22, 2021 from 2-7 PM. Appointments are available but not required. This will be the first major initiative for no appointments required. With the significant decline in vaccine demand over the last two weeks, the IMT is initiating “no appointment required” clinics at both the GRC and Kennedy Mall PODs. The decline in demand is a statewide trend. IDPH is meeting weekly with the larger populated counties to assess and plan for ongoing vaccine needs and education as well as how to utilize more vaccine allocations. Operation Warp Speed is still requiring the state and county to achieve the 80% vaccine administration rate (of the weekly allocations received.) To facilitate access to vaccination appointments, the Dubuque County Sleeves Up phone line at 563 587 4950 is staffed by trained city staff who have shifted their job responsibilities. Call takers facilitate vaccine clinic locations, appointment making and internet navigation though inbound and outbound calls to connect people to vaccines. A software system is now in place to manage this effort. The IMT has substantially completed the vaccination offering to county employers with GDDC in conjunction with the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce and the Dyersville Area Chamber of Commerce. The IMT and local employers greatly appreciate the assistance provided and system developed for accomplishing this substantial task. The IMT thanks and commends GDDC and it’s partners for all their work on this vaccination effort. Looking ahead • As private clinics and hospitals manage decreased vaccination efforts and have less presence at the POD, the IMT will continue planning for meeting community wide vaccination needs. As local pharmacies and the Crescent Community Health Center continue to receive federal vaccine allocations, we will be less reliant on the local health care provider clinics to administer vaccines. The IMT is challenged with scheduling and preparing for unknown demand of vaccine and assumes the roll out will be slow but steady from here on out. • Provide ongoing education and access for COVID -19 to vulnerable populations, with the assistance of the Equity Immersion Committee and many community partners. • Plan for non-traditional and targeted community vaccine distribution and administration sites and methods in case they are needed • Provide ongoing community vaccine education and administration as availability continues to change, utilizing multi-media https://cityofdubuque-my.sharepoint.com/personal/mcorriga_cityofdubuque_org/Documents/Coronavirus/COVID presentations/Covid PP city council/2021 4.19 City Council update.docx • Implementing and distributing ever changing guidance from CDC, IDPH and DOE. • Monitor and provide community education on SARS CoV2 variants. • Provide COVID-19 guidance for spring and summer special events and activities • Think ahead to vaccinating children • Booster doses are on the fall/winter horizon DUBUQUE CITY COUNCIL COVID-19 UPDATE City Council update-April 19, 2021 Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Specialist INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM (IMT) Mary Rose Corrigan City of Dubuque Stacey Killian VNA Patrice Lambert Dubuque County Health Department Tom Berger Dubuque County EMA Randy Gehl City of Dubuque Public Information Officer 29 55 31 24 22 21 10 17 43 16 18 0 34 7 14-DAY TRENDLINE NEW COVID-19 CASES DUBUQUE COUNTY PERCENT OF POSITIVE CASES 4.8%4.9% 14-DAY AVERAGE OF PERCENT OF POSITIVE CASES COMMUNITY PROFILE REPORT COMMUNITY PROFILE REPORT VACCINATION PROGRESS 31,527 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000 2/12…2/14…2/16…2/18…2/20…2/22…2/24…2/26…2/28…3/2/…3/4/…3/6/…3/8/…3/10…3/12…3/14…3/16…3/18…3/20…3/22…3/24…3/26…3/28…3/30…4/1/…4/3/…4/5/…4/7/…4/9/…4/11…4/13…4/15…4/17…DUBUQUE COUNTY RESIDENTS FULLY VACCINATED32.4% PHASE 1B TIER 2-THANK-YOU! ●Frontline essential workers in food, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors who live or work in non- social distanced settings ●Other essential workers VACCINE COMMUNITY EDUCATION •Targeted Outreach to Organizations & Populations •Social Media •City/County Newspapers & Publications •Billboards in City & County •Public Access Television (Dubuque, Dyersville, Epworth, Farley) VACCINE INFORMATION New Sleeves Up! Phone line 563-690-6253 (690-MAKE) For Residents needing •Vaccination •Booster •Appointment navigation ●IMT Vulnerable Populations Section ●Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director ●Addressing vaccination needs, education and accessibility COVID-19 & EQUITY IMMERSION TEAM ●Grand River Center POD ●SleevesUp Call Center ●Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manger ●Dubuque Fire Department ●126 Pfiezer doses April 15 ●205 J&J doses April 8 ●Next GRC clinic April 22 VACCINE ACCESSIBILITY Dubuque Fire Department and City Staff GRAND RIVER CENTER POD QUESTIONS? City Council Meeting –April 19, 2021 Mary Rose Corrigan Dubuque County Incident Management Team