IowaBio COVID-19 Update

Vaccine Statistics and Availability
Yesterday at her press conference, Governor Kim Reynolds said she’s pleased to report that 1.33 million vaccines have been administered in Iowa. With 86.6 percent administered putting us 5^th in the nation for vaccine administration. More than 517, 000 are fully vaccinated. 21.3 percent of Iowa’s eligible population 18 and up have received a single dose, which is 6^th in the nation. 35 percent of Iowan’s 18 and up have had one or more doses which is 16^th in the nation, and 82 percent of those ages 65 and up have had at least one dose, she said.

Last week there was a discrepancy between CDC’s data and Iowa’s numbers, the Governor noted. The percentage reported before reporting the error in a staff worksheet, was showing 95 percent vaccination rate for Iowans 65 and older. Now that it has been corrected the number is lower. There will continue to be some variability, because Iowa uses Iowa census data while the CDC uses population estimates, she said. Iowa’s administration results for 65 and older still rank in the top ten nationwide.

At the Whitehouse COVID-19 briefing for Governors they were informed we will see an increase of 25,000 doses next week for a total of 128,000 doses including 18,000 J&J doses which will be used for employer vaccination clinics the week of March 29. The week of April 5, they will receive an even larger amount of J&J vaccine the following week (April 5), with increasing doses thereafter.

The Governor reported they are on track to open vaccination to all Iowans April 5. When this occurs, once again, there will be more demand than supply, at first. So please be patient as the vaccine allocations increase, appointment availability will, too. Soon there will be enough vaccine for everyone, she said.

The Governor said the CEO of Johnson & Johnson was on a call with a small group of Governors and said they are doing everything they can to meet the vaccine production goals of 100 million doses available in June. The partnership with Merck was instrumental, she said. Additional providers will be brought on board, and the doses might become delivered in smaller quantities which will help states distribute the vaccines.

Governor Reynolds also asked Iowans to monitor their health if they traveled for Spring break. Get vaccinated as soon as you are able, she said.

Vaccine Equity
A concern has been the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain racial and ethnic minority groups as well as those who are economically disadvantaged, the Governor said. Now that the vaccine is available, ensuring equity in vaccine distribution and administration is a national priority. In a study published last week, the CDC noted that in the first two 1/2months of the US vaccine program, counties with high social vulnerability had lower vaccination rates than other areas. Disparities were observed in a majority of counties studied, she said.

In Iowa, 1 percent of vaccinated Iowans are African American and 1.6 percent are Hispanic/Latino. This data is self-reported, so it is challenging to know exactly where we stand. We do know we absolutely have work to do to reach these communities, the Governor said. They will be working to do targeted outreach to minority and other vulnerable communities, and Iowa will be working with trusted leaders in these communities. She highlighted an example of collaboration between Broadlawns, United Way of Iowa and Corinthians Baptist Church which will host a community vaccination clinic this weekend in Polk County.

Resolving vaccination hesitancy among minority populations starts with listening and meeting people where they are, the Governor said. Reverend Whitfield with Corinthians Baptist Church spoke about overcoming barriers of technology, language, and cultural barriers. They are working to overcome barriers of history relative to the experiences of minorities with healthcare systems, and overcoming the lack of information about the advancement of medicine in minority communities.

As we’ve been able to open up vaccinations to more Iowans, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to make sure we are reaching everyone in all communities across the state, The Governor said. They are reaching out to United Ways across Iowa to develop partnerships to increase access and uptake by minority communities.

A variety of services are already available. The 211 call system set up for Iowans 65 and older—nearly 4,000 appointments have been made. Call volume is decreasing but demand remains steady. They are examining how to expand the service. CPESN pharmacy network will also be added to increase appointment availability. They are looking to increase the people who can use this system, possibly including those with language barriers.

Transportation can also be a barrier, she said. Federal COVID relief funds are available to transport people to and from vaccine sites. Some of Iowa’s public transit agencies are already offering the service. Individuals can contact a public transit agency or a list of locations at IowaDOT.gov/transit.

Housing and Utility Relief Programs
Debi Durham, Director of IEDA, rolled out two programs for families feeling the economic impact of COVID-19.

First, a Rent and Utility assistance program will offer assistance on rental or utility bills for up to 12 months. The program is funded through an IFA allocation of $125 million from legislation passed by congress late last year. Past due payments and up to 3 months of future assistance requested at a time. A wide range of Utilities that are past due. To be eligible for assistance, they must have an income of no more than 80 percent of the area median income, and one or more in the household must have had financial hardships due directly or indirectly due to COVID. The household must also demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability. It is also important to note that Polk County and the City of DSM, are administering a local emergency rental assistance program themselves. Those in Polk County must apply there first, and then Polk county/DSM will open up to the state program when that local program funds are exhausted.

Renters in need of assistance should visit Iowahousingrecovery.com and take the eligibility pre-check for renters. Those who meet the criteria will provide their email/phone number to be notified when the applications open on Monday. They should begin gathering required documentation, and notify their landlords that they will apply. Landlords will be required to fill out part of the application. Payments will be paid directly to landlords and utility providers through an ACH payment portal. This program will remain open at least until Sept. 30.

They will again be partnering with Iowa Legal Aid to assist those at immediate risk of eviction.
Debi Durham also said she is pleased to share that Governor Reynolds has allocated funds for the foreclosure prevention assistance program to be reopened. Mortgage assistance can be up to 4 months or $3,600 per eligible household. It will be open until the funds are exhausted or the new federal assistance program becomes available.

Both programs will open on March 29 at 2:00 at iowahousingrecovery.com

Key Statistics

Iowa
The overall number of vaccines administered is 1,321,859 an increase of 22,599 since yesterday, with 334,997 receiving their first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and 475,688 receiving their second dose. 35,486 have received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

To find vaccine providers in your county, click here or scroll to the bottom of the vaccine dashboard. If you need a vaccine appointment, vaccinate.iowa.gov has launched to help connect Iowans eligible for the vaccine with providers. Iowans 65 and older who have not yet gotten an appointment can call 211 for assistance. @IAVaccineAlerts continues to tweet out appointment availability on Twitter. For vaccine eligibility information and timelines click here. For new vaccine allocation data overall and by county, click here.

Currently, on the state’s coronavirus dashboard 375,849 positive tests were reported, up 628 from our update Friday morning, with a total of 4,375,038 tests.

6 additional deaths were reported since our last update, with the total at 5,689 deaths.

The total 14 day rolling average positivity rate is 4.2% the past 7-day average is 4.7%.

The latest on hospitalizations, can be found here. There are currently 207 hospitalized patients—up 17 since yesterday--with 46 in the ICU, and 46 admitted in the last 24 hours.

US
Total Cases 29,769,325
Total Deaths 541,289
Total Vaccination Doses Administered 130,473,853

World
Total Cases 124,924,906
Total Deaths 2,746,147

BIO Pipeline Tracker
854 Unique compounds in development
213 vaccines
246 antivirals
395 treatments