Johnson County hospitals confident in ventilator supply, leaders say
Rachel Schilke and Sarah Watson
April 7, 2020
Johnson County area hospital leaders are confident in their supplies of ventilators as they prepare for a potential surge in COVID-19 patients. According to a projection by the University of Washington’s IHME update Tuesday, Iowa will need 127 invasive ventilators. About one in six COVID-19 patients require hospitalization...
Johnson County officials say Iowa’s COVID-19 mitigation memo one ‘tool’
Marissa Payne, Editor-in-Chief
April 3, 2020
Johnson County officials on April 3 downplayed the role of the Iowa Department of Public Health's guidance on implementing COVID-19 mitigation measures including a shelter-in-place order, describing the memo containing those metrics as one of several "tools" for government officials to use in re...
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics launches ‘virtual hospital’ to treat COVID-19 patients
Sarah Watson, Managing Editor
April 3, 2020
University of Iowa Health Care launched beginning a “virtual hospital” to treat COVID-19 patients at home who don’t need to be hospitalized. “A home treatment team has created a virtual hospital for our patients so that they can get the best care at the best place at the right time," UI ...
Johnson County Board of Supervisors limit public access to courthouse
Riley Davis, News Reporter
April 2, 2020
Public access to the Johnson County Courthouse will be restricted until April 16, when the closure order expires on other county buildings, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to approve Thursday. According to a news release from the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, the courthouse’s publi...
Iowa City hospitals ramp up efforts to test for and treat COVID-19 ahead of potential surge
Marissa Payne, Editor-in-Chief
March 31, 2020
Local health officials are ramping up ways to test for and treat COVID-19 as Iowa hospitals prepare for a projected surge in patients seeking treatment for the disease. UI Hospitals and Clinics Chief Medical Officer Theresa Brennan said the health-care system is currently treating five inpatients for...
Johnson County Board of Supervisors, Board of Public Health discuss local response to COVID-19
Riley Davis, News Reporter
March 31, 2020
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors held a telephonic meeting with three members of the Johnson County Board of Health Tuesday to discuss the county’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and the board’s letter to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds concerning authority for a shelter-in-place order. County Attor...
Johnson County food pantries collaborate to deliver food during COVID-19
Marissa Smith, News Reporter
March 31, 2020
Local food pantries in Johnson County are teaming up to give back to the community amid the COVID-19 outbreak by providing food for those in need. The service, a partnership between CommUnity Food Bank, Coralville Community Food Bank, IC Compassion, and North Liberty Community Pantry, will deliv...
Celebrating 51 years volunteering, directing with the Iowa City Community Theater
Rachel Schilke, News Reporter
March 30, 2020
Before Mary Ellen Chudacek became involved with the Iowa City Community Theater, she was a MidwestOne Bank secretary. Iowa City Community Theatre board member Alan Swanson said that she was someone that no one would expect to participate in theater — a very “regular” person who did not strik...
Governor confirms COVID-19 outbreak in Cedar Rapids long-term care facility as Linn surpasses Johnson County with most cases
Sarah Watson, Managing Editor
March 30, 2020
In her daily press briefing on Monday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds confirmed an outbreak of the novel coronavirus in a Cedar Rapids long-term care facility. Twenty-one of Linn County's 71 COVID-19 cases are directly related to the outbreak, a designation Reynolds said is characterized by three or more...
Johnson County Board of Supervisors extend county building closures until April 16
Kelsey Harrell and Riley Davis
March 30, 2020
As the current closure of county buildings nears its mandated end March 31, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors approved a vote on Monday to extend the closures until April 16. The mandate was originally implemented on March 18 and was anticipated to last for two weeks. Now, as Johnson Count...
Johnson County Sheriff’s Office taking steps to reduce jail numbers to prevent COVID-19 spread
Sarah Watson, Managing Editor
March 27, 2020
Johnson County Sheriff Detective Sgt. Brad Kunkel said in a press conference Friday that the county jail is taking steps to house less people to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading among the close quarters. The jail is currently housing 28 people, down from the mid-30s last week, Kunkel said. ...
With no shelter-in-place order in Iowa, Johnson County supervisors ask nonessential businesses to scale back operations
Marissa Payne, Editor-in-Chief
March 27, 2020
Johnson County Board of Supervisors Chair Rod Sullivan said Friday the supervisors are asking nonessential businesses to scale back their operations and reduce the number of employees in the workspace to contain the spread of COVID-19. With Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' announcement Thursday of the e...