Governor relaxes sporting event restrictions

A vestige of the not-so-distant past returned last Friday night.

Gov. Kim Reynolds lifted spectator limits for sporting and recreational gatherings, including restrictions for high school-sponsored events. Reynolds in November issued an order that limited spectator attendance to two per athlete in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Her revised order last week still requires each group of spectators to maintain six feet of social distance, and everyone in attendance over the age of 2 must wear a mask or other face covering.

The order also continued the mask requirement for people who are in an indoor public space and unable to social distance for 15 minutes or longer.

• COVID-19 scare at CMAL seemingly averted

A staff member at Community Memorial Assisted Living tested positive for COVID-19 last week, but it appears further spread was averted.

Administrator Dr. Janette Simon reported the latest round of testing for residents and staff on Monday and Tuesday revealed no infections. The assisted living staff member tested positive on Jan. 7, and Simon also noted the individual had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 30.

"This is a good lesson for all: The vaccine necessitates two doses plus two weeks to be fully effective," she said.

The assisted living facility is connected to Community Memorial Health Center, which provides long-term nursing care. Simon explained there is very little staff cross over between the two buildings and the employee who tested positive hasn't been in the nursing home since March.

Elderly individuals and people with underlying health conditions are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and have an increased risk of death. So far, only one case of coronavirus has been detected among residents in the entire facility. The individual tested positive in early December and fully recovered, and no other residents contracted the virus.

Simon said staff members in the assisted living wing will continue monitoring themselves and residents for potential symptoms. The next round of testing for both facilities is scheduled for Jan. 18-19.

Staff and residents at both the nursing home and assisted living facility will receive their second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 18 and Jan. 25. Restricted visitation rules and other preventative protocol will remain in place indefinitely.

"We are staying vigilant and we will not grow complacent," Simon said. "We understand the vaccine will not provide full immunity until two weeks following the second dose. Even then, we have to wait for the federal directives and the science to tell us to relax protocols."

• Vaccine doses surpass 600 in O'Brien County

COVID-19 positivity rates decreased in O'Brien County and increased in Clay County over the past week.

As of Wednesday morning, O'Brien County's 14-day positivity rate was 12.7 percent, down from 13.1 percent a week ago. Clay County's was up to 12.3 percent from 10 percent over the same time period. The statewide positivity rate was up from 13.5 percent to 14 percent.

Coronavirus-related deaths were up one to 54 in O'Brien County and up three to 19 in Clay County. Statewide, there have been 4,222 COVID-19 deaths, up from 3,999 last week.

Confirmed infections since the pandemic began tallied 1,672 in O'Brien County, 1,637 in Clay County and 299,884 statewide. Recoveries in that same order were 1,489, 1,453 and 260,491.

As of Sunday, there were 555 coronavirus-related hospitalizations in Iowa, down from 571 the previous week. Three were from O'Brien County and two were from Clay County.

Administered vaccine doses as of Monday totaled 604 in O'Brien County, 400 in Clay County and 91,501 statewide.