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Local health officials advising individuals to stay vigilant in mitigation measures

The daily reports of COVID-19 cases issued by the Iowa Department of Public Health have been bittersweet at the local level of Allamakee County this past week.

While those daily reports have revealed just one additional positive case being confirmed within Allamakee County in the past week’s time after six initial cases had been reported in the previous week, the news released Friday, March 27 of one of those initial Allamakee County cases having their life claimed by the virus cast a shadow on the otherwise hopeful low case count reported from March 24-30. Robert “Bob” Thompson, age 77, of rural Waterville passed away Thursday evening, March 26 from complications of being infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, his passing being confirmed by his family’s social media posts and his obituary that appears in this week’s issue of The Standard.

Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker reports that Allamakee County received a delivery of medical supplies from the State of Iowa Saturday afternoon, March 28 in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, with that delivery being made by the Iowa National Guard. Snitker said the delivered medical supplies consisted mainly of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks, surgical masks, disposable gloves and face shields, along with other medical items, cleaning supplies and hand sanitizers. None of the delivery involved medicinal items.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

Shep’s Riverside Bar and Grill in Lansing is one of the many area bars and restaurants that depend on socializing, not social distancing, for their livelihood as well as the livelihood of their employees. Business has been dramatically affected because of the limitations to just take-out food by the current COVID-19 pandemic, but owner Justin Shepard, along with many volunteers, recently proved that people do care about each other and will go to extreme means to show that kindness.

Shepard has owned the bar for the last five years but the establishment has been a mainstay along the river in Lansing since 1967.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon wishes to alert the public to a few more updates and ways the public can help during this COVID-19 challenge:

COVID-19 is circulating in Iowa communities and many more Iowans are likely to become ill in the coming weeks. This guidance offered by the Iowa Department of Public Health describes self-isolation recommendations for well Iowans with potential COVID-19 exposure.

Iowans who may not yet be showing symptoms should stay at home and isolate themselves from other people and animals in the home in the following situations. Isolation should be in place for 14 days after the last exposure:

• Traveled outside of Iowa for business or vacation in the last 14 days.
• Taken a cruise anywhere in the world in the last 14 days.
• Traveled internationally to a country with a level 3 travel warning in the last 14 days.
• Live with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19 or has tested positive for COVID-19.

Self-isolation means:

The State of Iowa has released a new website providing information on COVID-19. This site includes information on Iowa COVID-19 statistics, information on the COVID-19 virus and how individuals can protect and prepare themselves.

There is also a State of Iowa Agency Guidance section on the site that has links to various Iowa agencies and information pertaining to their services. This new website can be found at https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/.
 

Allamakee County Public Health (Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care) has currently been notified of a total of 7 positive cases of COVID 19 in Allamakee County. Unfortunately we have received notice of a death of one our 7 cases. This case is a male between the ages of 61-80 years of age. 3 cases have already recovered and have been released from isolation and 3 are recovering at home under isolation. We do expect to see more positive cases in the coming days.

Allamakee County Public Health and our other area health partners can not stress enough the importance of STAYING HOME. This does slow the spread. Staying home does not mean you can’t go for a walk or be outside as long as you maintain social distancing. 6 feet physical distancing is about the length of a twin bed.

Staff at Gundersen Health System Medical and Eye Clinic in Waukon received their own special dose of treatment when they arrived to work Monday morning, March 22 as they were greeted by some special messages chalked on to the clinic’s entrance sidewalk over the weekend. A pair of elementary-age cousins, Braelyn Zuercher and Mila Mathis of Waukon, provided the messages, making the most of getting out of the house during a time when their schools are closed due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak to write and draw colorful messages with sidewalk chalk that included such sentiments as “Doctors and nurses are superheroes!” and “Thank you, have a good day,” along with smiley faces, hearts and other drawings and short messages of appreciation and thoughtfulness in an effort to brighten the day of some of the local healthcare providers who find themselves on the frontlines of the current battle against COVID-19.

Local health officials advising individuals to follow prevention guidelines and to stay at home unless absolutely necessary

by Lissa Blake

Those who don’t want to be the next person diagnosed with the coronavirus should stay home, self-isolate and wash their hands.

That was the message from Veterans Memorial Hospital Administrator Mike Myers Friday afternoon, March 20 following the diagnosis of the third person testing positive for COVID-19 in Allamakee County. Since then, however, three more county residents have been reported as testing positive, bringing the county’s total to six as of Monday, March 22, adding to the current (Monday) total of 105 positive cases in Iowa affecting more than two dozen counties.

Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker shared the following information and perspective concerning local efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak:

Hi, and I hope everyone is doing well as we deal with the coronavirus known as COVID-19. I wanted to let everyone know that Allamakee County Emergency Management and Allamakee County Public Health are working together and have been able to also include other agencies and organizations within the county, as well as working with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Iowa’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.  We are also working with city and county government, our county emergency responders, long term care facilities and the hospital.