There is no indication of when schools might reopen in Iowa. Ann Lebo, director of the Iowa Department of Education, made brief comments at Gov Kim Reynolds’ daily COVID-19 press conference Friday.
Lebo reported a continuous learning task force came together Wednesday to discuss pathways for providing Iowa schools with immediate, scalable options for online and distance learning during this public health emergency.
According to Lebo, consensus of the group was that “it’s important to grant local districts and schools need flexibility to meet students needs and that it takes time to ramp up.” She said the Department of Education would send guidance to school districts Friday afternoon.
“Our team at the Department of Education is committed to supporting our schools, and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that we are all better as a result of the challenges we’re facing today,” Lebo said.
Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensen joined the press conference remotely to report what Iowa courts have done in response to COVID-19 in Iowa. Five supervisory orders were issued March 12-17. She said. All criminal and civil jury and non-jury trials have been continued (postponed). Initial appearances and hearings are being done remotely, and the speedy indictment deadline has been extended from 45 to 60 days.
Chief Justice Christensen assured Iowans that Iowa courts are open for emergency needs such as protective orders in the case of domestic or elder abuse, protective removal of children from their homes, court ordered mental health evaluations or substance abuse treatment, etc.
The number of deaths in Iowa attributed to COVID-19 is now at three. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, an elderly (81+ years) person died in Poweshiek County and an older adult (61-80 years) died in Allamakee County.
Most of the Governor’s portion of the press conference was repetitive of this weeks’ earlier events.
She updated numbers provided by the Iowa Department of Public Health: The IDPH has been notified of 56 additional positive cases of Iowans with COVID-19, for a total of 235 positive cases. There have been a total of 3,740 negative tests to date, which includes testing reported by the State Hygienic Lab and other labs.
According to IDPH, the locations and age ranges of the 56 individuals include:
- Benton County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
- Black Hawk County, 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years)
- Butler County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
- Cedar County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
- Cerro Gordo County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
- Clinton County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
- Dallas County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 elderly adult (81+)
- Dickinson County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
- Dubuque County, 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years)
- Hardin County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
- Harrison County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 3 older adults (61-80 years)
- Henry County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
- Iowa County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
- Johnson County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 5 middle-age (41-60 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years)
- Linn County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 7 older adults (61-80 years)
- Mahaska County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
- Monona County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
- Marshall County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
- Montgomery County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
- Muscatine County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
- Page County, 1 older (61-80 years)
- Polk County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years)
- Tama County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
- Washington County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years)
- Webster County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
- Winneshiek County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
- Woodbury County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
- Wright County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
