Coronavirus Update - April 1, 2020

Okay, good afternoon. We'll go ahead and give, first, an update on the numbers. Today we had 52 new positive cases for a total of 549 positive cases, 416 negative cases today for a total of 7,304 negative. Total Tests available at the State Hygienic Lab is 1,449. We have 63 hospitalized as of last evening and we have 118 recovered. Again, I am so sorry to report that we have two additional deaths, both are elderly adults one from Polk County and one from Washington County for a total number of nine deceased Iowans.

When we first heard about an outbreak of an unknown virus across the globe it seemed almost unimaginable that it could have an impact on us, but in a very short amount of time it has become a reality. And as the President said yesterday, the next to two to three weeks is critical time for our nation as we prepare for COVID-19 cases to spike. The actions of every Iowan matter and we must all do our part to slow the spread of the virus and save lives. The best way to avoid being exposed to the virus or exposing others is to stay home as much as possible, leave home only for essential purposes like getting groceries, necessary supplies or medical needs, work from home if you can. If your job requires you to work at a physical location, keep a safe distance from your co-workers, use good hygiene and frequently disinfect your work area. Practice social distancing regardless if you are out in public or just outside in your neighborhood and isolate if you are sick. If you or a member of your family have symptoms of a mild illness stay home and isolate yourself from others in your household to avoid exposing them.

You know, I know we continue to ask a lot but we need everyone to take these simple steps seriously so that we can again, flatten the curb and protect as many Iowans as possible and do everything we can to make sure that we don't overwhelm our hospital system and our health care workforce. It really is a difficult time Iowans are feeling uncertain about their day-to-day life and even more concerned about what’s to come in the weeks and months ahead. At a time when we are focused on protecting our physical health, it's also important that we don’t neglect our mental well-being. To help us understand more about recognizing your own signs of stress, fear, anxiety, and how to care for ourselves I've asked Director Gerd Clabaugh from the Department of Public Health to join me today. Gerd?

[Gerd Clabaugh speaks]

Thank you, Gard. I really appreciate that and I want to take this opportunity to recognize Director Clabaugh for everything that he has done the last few weeks. Even with a global pandemic going on, the daily work at the Department of Public Health must continue as normal and under Gerd’s leadership, the team is doing an exceptional job. So, thank you for the work that you do day in and day out to serve Iowans and to lead the team. We are really really appreciative of your efforts and all that you are doing.

And finally, I'd like to close with a bit of good news. On March 26th I ordered that all non-essential and elective dental procedures be suspended to preserve PPE. Over the course of the last few days since that change, dentists from across Iowa have donated their PPE to health care facilities in their communities to help during this crisis. I'm so inspired by and grateful for their generosity and I just want to say thank you for stepping up and making a difference. We are gonna get through this, we are in for some rough times but we are Iowans and I believe we are going to come out stronger when we get through this. So, again, thanks for leading, thanks for making a difference — and that goes to a whole lot of Iowans out there that are stepping up and doing the right thing and helping be a part of the solution as we work through these challenging times. And with that we'll open it up for questions.

Reynolds, K.K. [DMRegister]. (2020, April 1). Gov. Kim Reynolds updates Iowans on the COVID-19 outbreak in Iowa (4.1.20) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5fsv0sbapA]. Retrieved on May 27, 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/user/DMRegister.