Atlantic, IA – Due to high demand for the shingles vaccine Shingrix, many patients across the country, including Cass County residents, are waiting on the vaccine to become available at their provider’s office. CCHS Clinical Nurse Manager Danielle Staiert, RN, said “Due to the popularity and the effectiveness of the vaccine, many people are receiving the vaccine, which is great. The downside to this surge in vaccination is that the demand is outpacing the supply, which means patients are having to wait. CCHS is currently waiting on our next order of Shingrix to arrive, and I know the local pharmacies have also been affected.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, GSK (the manufacturer of Shingrix) is trying to best manage the increase in demand by implementing order limits. The CDC website also states that GSK has increased the US supply available for 2018.

Staiert said “At this point, we recommend that patients call us first if they are interested in receiving the Shingrix vaccine. We can talk to the patient about their insurance, which factors into where they should get this shot, as well as let them know if we have it in stock.”  Patients should call the Atlantic Medical Center Immunization Room at 712-250-8122.

About the CDC Recommendation for Shingrix: The  CDC recommends that healthy adults 50 years and older get two doses of the shingles vaccine called Shingrix (recombinant zoster vaccine), separated by 2 to 6 months, to prevent shingles and the complications from the disease. Your doctor or pharmacist can give you Shingrix as a shot in your upper arm. Shingrix provides strong protection against shingles and PHN.

Two doses of Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and PHN. Protection stays above 85% for at least the first four years after you get vaccinated. Shingrix is the preferred vaccine, over Zostavax® (zoster vaccine live), a shingles vaccine in use since 2006. Zostavax may still be used to prevent shingles in healthy adults 60 years and older.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — A county prosecutor in southern Iowa says a Fairfield man was killed and two Ottumwa men have been charged with attempted murder and other charges after a shootout with police followed an armed robbery at a home on the city’s south side.

Wapello County Attorney Gary Oldenburger says in a statement released Monday that 35-year-old David Roy White of Fairfield was killed Friday and 32-year-old Michael Paul Bibby of Ottumwa was shot and is recovering at a local hospital.

Police launched a manhunt and later located and arrested 23-year-old Dalton Wayne Cook of Ottumwa. Bibby and Cook are charged with burglary, robbery and six counts of attempted murder. Court documents say White, Bibby and Cook forced their way into an Ottumwa home and stole items from the residents. A man outside the home was shot and is recovering from wounds at a hospital.

The three armed men fled and were intercepted by Ottumwa police officers near Liberty Elementary School, where the shootout occurred. No officers were injured.
Online court records do not yet indicate the men have attorneys.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports today (Monday, Aug. 6) was the first day that candidates were allowed to file papers for the offices to be included on the General Election Ballot. Winners of the Primary Election do not need to file papers in the Auditor’s Office as they will already be included on the General Election Ballot.  The Deadline to file is August 29^th at 5:00 p.m. Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns reports that at the end of the day Monday, Dana Halder, of Atlantic, had filed papers as Nominated by Petition for the Cass County Supervisor District 3 seat.

In the Republican Primary, Halder lost by two votes to John Hartkopf after a recount of the close ballot results was requested. Halder kept his promise to run again in November, as a Republican, but by petition, in hopes of taking the seat from his opponent.

Officials with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office report 38-year old Nicholas John Brix, of Marne, was arrested last Thursday, on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Felon in Control of Firearm (a Class-D Felony); Possession of Meth 2nd Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Brix was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released later that day on $7,300 bond.

On Monday (August 6), Deputies arrested 29-year old Amanda Lee Marholz, of Walnut, on a charge of Driving Under Suspension. Marholz was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $300 bond.

WASHINGTON, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa father has been given nine years in prison for letting his 17-month-old daughter starve to death. Washington County District Court records say 37-year-old Anthony McCoy was sentenced Friday in Washington. He’d pleaded guilty to two counts of child endangerment and one of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Avery McCoy. She weighed just 11 pounds when she was found dead in November 2016. An autopsy said malnutrition and neglect significantly contributed to the girl’s death. Her mother, Ambrashia “Amber” Chrzan, of Wellman, was sentenced last month to 50 years in prison.

Officials with the Cass County Memorial Hospital report the 2018 Cass County Health System scholarship recipient was Tyler Steele of Anita.  Tyler was a 2015 graduate of CAM High School.  He currently is a student at Creighton University in Omaha majoring in Healthcare Administration and Policy, with minors in Public Health, Business Administration and Biology.  Brett Altman, Cass County Health System CEO, presented the award to Tyler.

Tyler Steele and CCHS CEO Brett Altman