MASON CITY – Tuesday, May 5th, 2020
Data Snapshot
- 10,111 total lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Iowa (05/04/2020).
- 14 total lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cerro Gordo (05/04/2020).
- Age Ranges of lab confirmed cases: (18-40) = 2 cases, (41-60) = 6 cases, (61-80) = 6 cases
- 14 total lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cerro Gordo (05/04/2020).
- 207 deaths in Iowa
- 0 deaths in Cerro Gordo
- 1,691 COVID-19 tests administered at the mobile testing unit (05/04/2020).
A status report of monitoring and testing of COVID-19 in Iowa provided by Iowa Department of Public Health can be found at https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/#CurrentStatus. For Cerro Gordo County data, visit https://cghealth.com/?page_id=3754.
COVID-19 Stress and Children and Teens
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger. Children and teens react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with the COVID-19 calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. The CDC offers tips for parents and caregivers at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html#parents
A great way to address stress your child may be experiencing is through storytelling. Download the book called “My Hero is You”, which was written for children around the world affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This book is available for download in nearly 40 different languages at https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/iasc-reference-group-mental-health-and-psychosocial-support-emergency-settings/my-hero-you.
Local Guidance on Garage Sales for Cerro Gordo County
We have received some questions regarding whether the general public can have/host garage sales. While not prohibited, we are discouraging hosting or attending garage sales. Unnecessary travel and shopping should be avoided during this pandemic. Those considering hosting a garage sale, sincerely ask yourself if you can easily abide by the social distancing guidelines.
There isn’t any specific guidance on this type of activity, but we encourage all entities who decide to host a garage sale to implement social distancing guidelines. Our recommendations include:
- Practice social distancing. Only 10 persons in a garage (including yourself) allowed at a time.
- Tape off the garage floor every 6 feet to determine the maximum number of people (10) that could fit.
- Leave the tape down for shoppers to use as a guide to help maintain a safe distance from each other.
- Explore other options to exchange money in lieu of cash (e.g.- Venmo, Cash App).
- Provide hand sanitizer and other sanitary options for attendees.
- Encourage attendees to wear cloth face masks.
- Clean surfaces and objects touched frequently.
For more information on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, visit https://cghealth.com/?topic=coronavirus.
