First online info session to occur Saturday
Hunter
04/16/21
The Iowa Department of Public Health on Thursday confirmed a case of the Brazilian COVID variant in Johnson County.
In a release from the IDPH, local public health officials have initiated contact with the individual, to monitor that person’s health and to do contact tracing to notify individuals who may have been exposed to the variant.
The case was identified by the State Hygienic Lab, which is identifying which strains are circulating in Iowa.
The Department of Public Health says that the emergence of new variants shows how critical it is to continue the mitigation protocols that have been in place since the pandemic began. They include wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, frequent hand washing, staying home if you feel sick, and getting tested if you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19.
Vaccinations are still being administered throughout the state, and for those who are skeptical about the vaccine, the IDPH is hosting information sessions starting Saturday. State Epidemiologist and IDPH Medical Director Dr. Caitlin Pedati will participate in each of the sessions, which will also happen on Monday and on Saturday April 24th. The last session will be geared toward Spanish speaking Iowans.
Saturday’s session will begin at 10am; Monday’s at 6pm, and at 10am on the 24th. Participants can join a session by going to www.iowacovidinfo.org where they can link to the WebEx online session. A question and answer period will be included with each session.