The Executive Director of the Nishna Valley YMCA in Atlantic, Wednesday, put out a statement with regard to operations at the YMCA and Ann W. Wickman Childcare Center in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dan Haynes said “Currently the YMCA building is closed as mandated by state and local officials. However, as requested by the Governor and local officials, our TLC (School-age Childcare operations) is still in full operation within the YMCA building as is the Wickman Childcare Center.

“Increased precautions are being taken as recommended by the Department of Human Services and local health department. Drop-off and pickup procedures, class sizes, and social distancing, have been implemented in both locations per health department guidelines.
Your YMCA has had a long history of meeting citizen’s needs in Cass County and the Nishna Valley.”

In and effort to maintain YMCA membership and funds, Haynes said the “Nishna Valley YMCA Board of Directors is asking YOU to stick with YOUR YMCA even as the building is closed temporarily due to no fault of our own. We are asking you to:
1. If you are a current bank draft member or annual paying member of the YMCA……stick with us and keep your membership running as normal.
2. If you are not currently a YMCA Member……do something crazy!!!!! Consider joining now to make the greatest impact and support the work your YMCA does in the community. We will even waive the $40 joiner fee during this time.
3. While we are closed down we do have virtual fitness options you can use in your home. Visit our website or our facebook page and find great classes while we are closed.
4. YMCA volunteers are in the middle of our Annual Campaign to raise $125,000 for all the work that gets done such as childcare, free swim training, program and membership scholarship and so much more. If you haven’t given yet please consider doing so.
5. We understand that some families have been hurt by reduced incomes due to the current situation. If none of the above are options for you,” Haynes said “I would ask you to call me personally at 712-243-3934 so I can help you in your specific situation.”

He said also, “We will update you as we get any news on opening, keeping in mind our first priority is to keep staff and members safe.”

(Radio Iowa) — Sending 12-hundred dollar checks to most every American is part of the stimulus package congress has devised and Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says those checks will help the overall economy.  “It’s a good idea in the sense of stimulating demand and that’s what we’re talking about here,” Goss says. “…Ultimately, it we will get a spring back in the economy and that would be part of it.”

Goss does have concerns about the ballooning federal deficit, but he is predicting the U.S. economy will bounce back once the COVID-caused closures are lifted. Iowa State University economist Peter Orazem says given economic conditions, policymakers should have been reducing the deficit over the past few years.

“But once you get to this particular state where a bunch of firms and a lot of people do not have savings to withstand that problem, I think doing some sort of government transfer payment program to try to help out the population is a very good idea,” Orazem says. According to Orazem, about 22 percent of the jobs in Iowa are in the service sector — in restaurants, bars and other hospitality industry businesses.

“A lot of firms that are mom-and-pop establishments,” Orazem says. “It’s hard for them to get by with one or two months of no revenue.” He says other sectors of the economy can easily shift to a work-from-home format and keep people employed. Goss, from Creighton, regularly surveys rural bank managers in the Midwest. He compared the most recent results with surveys taken during the Great Recession in 2008 and 2009.

“This is a far bigger hit, but I expect the duration to be shorter,” Goss says. “But I expect the duration to be shorter. We are, in my judgement, likely to see a rebound — perhaps rebound is too strong a word, but see things improve in the third quarter of this year.” Goss says the current economic disruption will have some positive, long-term consequences.

“For example, universities are going to begin offering more and more online,” Goss says. “We’ll become cost-effective, which we need to do” And Goss says a shift to online instruction is likely to help rural K-through-12 school districts that are financially-strapped and sparsely-populated.

The two economists made their comments on the “Iowa Press” program on Iowa P-B-S.

Officials with the Page County Public Health Department report the County has its first confirmed case of COVID-19. The affected individual is self-isolating at home. No other details were provided.

They did however reiterate the need for you to:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 second.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or the inside of your elbow/upper arm.
• and Stay Home if you are ill!

The Iowa National Guard  has delivered some very much needed personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders and health care providers in Montgomery County. EMA Director Brian Hamman said “This PPE is very much needed and will be put to use immediately.”

Photos from the Montgomery County EMA Facebook page

The Guard delivered mission essential equipment to distribution sites in Black Hawk, Johnson, Polk, Pottawattamie and Tama counties, as well, with additional distributions taking place at select sites across the State today (Wednesday) and tomorrow.

The Atlantic Fire Department will join their fellow firefighters from around the State and Country, in showing a sign of strength and support for all who work daily in EMS, Fire and Law enforcement, as well as for those working around the clock to provide care, those who strive to find the right medicine to help, those in the food/grocery industry to feed us and those trucking daily to keep us going.

At 7-p.m., the AFD and ALL IOWA FIRE DEPARTMENTS are encouraged to open their doors and turn on the lights on their trucks and other vehicles, as a sign of strength and hope for all.

The Cass County Health System’s Incident Command team today (Wednesday), issued a clarification regarding current COVID-19 test results. “To date,” officials said, “CCHS has tested more than 25 individuals. All test results we have received so far have been negative.

There are still pending test results and those patients will be personally notified when the results are received, whether positive or negative.”

Atlantic School District Superintendent Steve Barber, today (Wednesday) sent out a notification to parents about the District’s plan to resume classes. Barber said “Obviously the current COVID-19 crisis is changing hourly for Iowa and our Country.  On a daily basis, I gather the most up to date information from a variety of agencies and reliable sources to navigate Atlantic Schools through these unprecedented times.  Until conditions change, the plan is still to resume classes on April 13, 2020.”

According to Mr. Barber, “In the meantime, we are trying to determine the number of households that have accessibility to the internet.” A short Google Survey is being sent out, asking parents to answer a couple of questions designed to help adminstrators identify creative ways the school can move forward and how to broaden the access to the internet.

Barber said also, “Recently the Iowa Department of Public Health issued a document titled Advice for Talking to Children about COVID-19 and during this time feel it is valuable to share all of the steps children can take to be a part of limiting the spread of the virus.”

On Friday morning (March 27) from 9:00-11:00am, school staff will be handing out backpacks for students that include a number of non-perishable items.  This “grab and go” option is taking place underneath the catwalk between the Middle School and Schuler building. Next week, they will continue handing out breakfasts and lunches in the back of Schuler on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00-11:00am.  All students under the age of 18 are eligible.

“There continues to be a lot of questions that do not have definitive answers,” Barber said.  “As these answers become available, I will be communicating them out to the stakeholders.  Many questions have been asked in regards to online learning. Currently, Atlantic CSD does not have approval for online learning from the State of Iowa. In fact only three schools in the State have been granted these waivers.  Right now the priority is to continue to keep students and staff safe!”

Atlantic, IA — Cass County Health System is preparing for all scenarios and possible surge of patients related to COVID-19. As we continue to care for the ongoing healthcare needs of the community, both COVID-19 related and regular needs, we need your help in conserving our resources. There are several ways employers can help:

• Do not ask your employees to go to a healthcare provider for a return to work clearance related to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or exposure.
• Do not ask your employees to present to the clinic for us to determine whether or not they are a high risk employee.
• Do not require employees to be tested for COVID-19. The need for testing will be made by the healthcare provider.

These measures help us all stop the spread of COVID-19 while also helping us conserve our supply of gloves, masks, swabs, and other critical supplies. Businesses are also encouraged to consider donating personal protective equipment (PPE) to your local hospital. This could include gloves, gowns, N95 respirators, and face shields.

Most mildly ill Iowans do not need to go to their healthcare provider or be tested to confirm they have COVID-19. Approximately 80% of Iowans infected with COVID-19 will experience only a mild to moderate illness. Sick Iowans must stay home and isolate themselves from others in their house. Stay home and isolate from others in the house until:

You have had no fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers) AND Other symptoms are improving (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved) AND At least 7 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the IDPH webpage at https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus and follow the department on Facebook at @IowaDepartmentOfPublicHealth and on Twitter at @IAPublicHealth.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds received notification last night (Tuesday night), that President Trump has approved her request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for COVID-19, removing a $5 million cap on federal funds as well as making available the Community Disaster Loan program.

“I want to thank President Trump for his quick response in approving Iowa’s disaster declaration because it will open up federal resources to Iowa as we combat the spread of COVID-19,” said Gov. Reynolds. “This outbreak is an unprecedented crisis for the entire nation and it’s going to take a whole-of-government approach to limit the spread of the virus and provide economic relief to all of those impacted.”

The declaration provides assistance for work and services to save lives and protect property, to include emergency protective measures.  Gov. Reynolds had also requested activation of the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Crisis Counseling programs and statewide Hazard Mitigation Assistance funding. Those portions of her request are still under consideration.