Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Wednesday (today) announced FDA approval of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine is expected by the end of this week, and regional hospitals that have been approved to carry a stockpile of the supplies have been notified of their role in immunizing persons in the highest risk categories, including Long-Term Care facility patients.  Reynolds says patients at those facilities are expected to receive their vaccinations beginning Dec. 28th. As more vaccines become available, those groups will broaden until anyone who wants to receive the vaccine can get it.

Reynolds announced the state will provide the state’s 432 long-term care facilities with personal protective equipment for 30 days at no cost to those facilities. She also announced the state is providing temporary medical workers for some facilities. Reynolds said more than 80 nurses have already started and she anticipated that a total of 104 nurses would be assigned throughout the state through Dec. 30.

Reynolds noted that in the two weeks following Thanksgiving, COVID-19 hospitalizations and case positivity rates have shown steady downward trends. Reynolds said she will extend her emergency health disaster proclamation with some changes, which was set to expire Thursday night. Reynolds said venues that serve alcohol, such as bars restaurants and casinos, will have last call for service at 10 p.m. Additionally, the governor said that due to decreasing hospitalization rates, that proclamation will ease restrictions on elective procedures for our hospitals from 50, from a 50% reduction to a 25% reduction.

“Organized sports and recreational events including bowling leagues may resume for youth and adults, but spectators are still limited to two per participant. The same two-spectator rule that also applies to high school athletes will be extended to spectators for cheerleaders, band members and others performing at high school sporting events,” she said. Reynolds added  “We will continue to monitor virus activity over the next several days, and we’ll assess whether additional changes may be possible a week from now.”

The extension of the proclamation will last through Dec. 16th.