COVID-19 Update
August 5, 2020

IowaBio wants to provide our members useful information during the COVID-19 pandemic. This newsletter compiles information on state, federal and industry action to combat the virus and its impacts.

If your company is helping respond to COVID-19, IowaBio wants to know about it. Please, send any information about what your biotechnology company or organization is doing to help, to Jessica Hyland at Jessica@iowabio.org.

If IowaBio can assist you in getting information out, connecting with public officials, or support your company in another way, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Past IowaBio COVID-19 Update newsletters are now available at www.iowabio.org/COVID19 and can be found under the Industry News tab on the IowaBio website.

Iowa Update
Yesterday Governor Reynolds held a press conference, to address concerns that some schools are choosing to “defy the governor,” by not going back to in person learning. She reiterated that they are not defying her, they are defying the law SF2310, passed by the legislature during the past session, which requires at least 50 percent in person learning as the presumed method of instruction, she said. If schools that move to primarily online learning do not meet instructional day requirements, they will have to be made up. The guidance issued by the Iowa Department of Education last week, implements this law. She said we expect our schools to comply with the law.

One of the schools in Urbandale that voted to continue fully virtual, has been granted a waiver to open late, but won’t be able to stay closed, given the guidance. Only a few schools are requesting waivers, the Governor said, and they are actively working with them--meeting with Urbandale and Des Moines yesterday.

What’s best for kids is for them to be in school and in the classroom, she said. Experts say kids need to be in the classroom—kids have not had instruction for over 5 months. CDC says we will see more problems from kids being isolated than from COVID, she said.

The Governor said, we have the tools that we need to safely reopen schools, including widespread testing, and data tracking in real time. When schools were initially closed in April, Reynolds said, only 45,000 people had been tested. Over 450,000 have now been tested. Hospitalizations have also dropped significantly, she said. In addition, most of the hospitals are now testing every patient when they are admitted, for things like elective surgeries. Governor Reynolds said hospitalizations will now be broken out on the coronavirus dashboard as those admitted primarily for COVID-19, versus those admitted for another reason and tested for COVID-19 as a matter of practice.

Dr. Pedati, State Epidemiologist, spoke about the numbers in the Department of Education guidance for schools on when virtual learning will be allowable, including 15 percent countywide positivity rate. They are looking at how that translates in smaller communities, and the impact of congregate settings like long-term care facilities with that 15 percent number. They are using that percentage in conjunction with case investigation. Dr. Pedati said they will be continuing to look at new information, evaluate and be flexible.

Governor Reynolds said in response to a reporter that it would be naive to think we won’t see any cases, but that we also have to think about the whole child and family livelihoods. She said parents who are really fearful, do have the online option.

The Governor also announced $125 million in federal CARES dollars will be allocated to local governments to help with costs associated with COVID-19. $100 million will go to cities and counties with 60 percent to cities and 40 percent to counties. The remaining 25 million will go to FEMA match dollars.

Key Statistics

Iowa
Currently, IDPH has reported on the state’s coronavirus dashboard,  46,263 Iowans have tested positive, up 336 from our update yesterday morning, with a total of 495,417 tested.  8 additional deaths were reported since our last update, bringing the total to 893 deaths. Now 34,660 Iowans have recovered. The latest on hospitalizations, including how many patients have been admitted in the last 24 hours can be found here.

US
Total Cases 4,698,818
Total Deaths 155,204

World
Total Cases 18,566,769
Total Deaths 701,278

BIO Pipeline Tracker
698 Unique compounds in development
181 vaccines
206 antivirals
311 treatments