MASON CITY – The Cerro Gordo county health department is hard at work for the possibly unavoidable time when our local hospitals are inundated with Covid-19 victims, as other parts of the country are starting to face that reality now.
Health department director Brian Hanft released a statement this morning, saying, “Yesterday Governor Kim Reynolds expanded on her Public Health Disaster Emergency Proclamation. All existing closures, including restaurants and bar closures, were extended an additional week to April 7. She also ordered the closure of additional retail — book stores; clothing and shoe stores; jewelry stores; luggage stores; cosmetic, perfume and beauty supply stores; furniture stores; florists and home furnishing stores. Starting at 5 p.m. Friday and “through the duration of this disaster,” all non-essential and elective surgeries that can be delayed without “undue risk to patients” are suspended, Reynolds said. Also, all elective dental procedures including hygienic, orthodontic or cosmetic procedures are suspended. Emergency procedures are allowed still, the governor said. Reynolds also ordered that “healthcare insurance companies shall reimburse healthcare providers for telehealth visits at the same rate as in-person visits.” She hopes that encourages patients to use telehealth more to screen and treat the virus. Lastly, Reynolds ordered that healthcare facilities, including nursing homes, “to engage in enhanced staff health screenings.”
“As we go into the weekend, these additional closures will help those stay home in hopes to decrease exposures to COVID-19. Our county is working tirelessly to prepare for when sick people fill our hospitals by gathering PPE, and surge planning. I can’t stress enough how important it is for folks to stay home when all possible. Cases across the state and nation are only on the rise. We have not yet hit our peak of COVID-19 cases. We have the most cases compared to any other nation in the world. I understand you miss happy hour, dinner with your friends and simply hugging your grandparents. We’ve missed birthdays and important events all for the sake of protecting those we love. Every single person has to choose to stay home when all possible to flatten the curve. Take a stroll in a local park this weekend, and remember this is temporary, but necessary. We will get through this, together.”
These people are seriously idiots. They set and watch the quick spread in other states and are just now expanding closures??? Probably spreading around Iowa this entire time, with near zero testing until recently… and the positive tests increasing as the more testing is done. This has been going on since end of December, early January… even though the Orange man called it dem hoax to ruin “his” re-election.. dumbass not responding signed thousand of death warrants because his ignorance. But each state could have been preparing long ago for this… especially Iowa. Yep dipshits I’m sure we’ll all be ready to open our doors and the virus will disappear by April 7th. The numbers are rising this is the time Reynolds needs some balls and close the state. No one wants to be closed, Dumf let this pandemic destroy lives and the whole US by his lack of response and total lack of stepping up, taking control getting states what they needed to treat the sick… nope he let every state responsible ( fin for themselves) on their own losing thousands of lives before even acting on anything. He’s dangerous and America death threat!! Ignorant, uneducated, uneducated in American government, doesn’t know how to respond to crisis, obviously… the laughing stock of the world, doesn’t know how to communicate and work with foreign countries along with negotiations with our enemies. He is America’s downfall and needs replaced immediately before he causes more damage and more Americans die due to his uneducated, ignorant, self centered ness ! He makes the whole US venerable to foreign attacks and much more.
The hate is strong here.
This guy is a joke, but I guess you must ‘act’ important. He seems to know more then the federal people do,well he doesn’t.
He does seem to like himself…a lot!
Not a joke, he really cares… no need to attack someone trying to help.
2.2 trillion divided by population of the United States 327 million equals $6727.88
What kind of people was it full of before
Idiots running the machine.
Keep up the great job Brian and staff.
punk kid
Impressive. Mr. Hanft could not have said it better. This is the type of people we need making decisions. Bravo!
Ha, ha, ha, all he does is quote CDC!
lol, your kidding right. he is a CDC puppet that likes the limelight, and likes to listen to himself talk
Well, you sound helpful. Have you ever wondered why people groan when you enter the room?
I think his job is to reinforce what the CDC is recommending. Would you rather he decide on his own what is needed and what isn’t? (Like the President)?