Polk County braces for COVID-19 mutation
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Updated: 10:16 PM CST Jan 19, 2021
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Updated: 10:16 PM CST Jan 19, 2021
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LEADERS ARE PREPARING AND HOW THESE NEW VARIANTS ARE IMPACTING TRAVEL. DR. MEGHAN SCHAEFFER, APERIO STATISTICAL CONSULTING "MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN AND ILLINOIS HAVE CONFIRMED CASES OF THE VARIANT. CDC AND OTHER HEALTH EXPERTS HAVE ANTICIPATED A U.K. STRAIN DRIVEN SURGE POTENTIALLY IN MARCH." POLK COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS PREPARING FOR THE IMPACT OF THESE NEW STRAINS BEFORE THEY GET TO IOWA. ONE STRAIN - FIRST REPORTED IN THE UK - IS 30 TO 50 PERCENT MORE TRANSMISSIBLE. THE HOPE IS TO NOW WORK TO EXPAND TESTING TO THOSE NOT EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS. DR. MEGHAN SCHAEFFER, APERIO STATISTICAL CONSULTING "ABOUT HALF OF CASES ARE TRANSMITTED BY A SYMPTOMATIC INFECTIOUS PEOPLE. SO A COUPLE MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD WE CAN EXPAND OUR TESTING TO RAPIDLY IDENTIFY THOSE ASYMPTOMATIC CASES AND FURTHER REDUCE SPREAD.' THE CDC HAS ANNOUNCED SOME NEW RECOMMENDATIONS TO LESSEN THE CHANCES OF BRINGING THE NEW VIRUS INTO THE US. STARTING JANUARY 26TH, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS PROVIDE A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST BEFORE ENTERING THE STATES. KEVIN FOLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DES MOINES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT "THIS WOULD IMPLEMENTED AT POINTS OF ENTRY WHERE THEY HAVE THOSE FLIGHTS COMING DIRECTLY FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. THEY WOULD HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY HAD A NEGATIVE TEST WITHIN THE 72 HOURS AT THOSE AIRPORTS." AT THE DES MOINES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, THEY ARE CONSIDERING WAYS TO BRING RAPID TESTING TO THEIR LOCATION. KEVIN FOLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DES MOINES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT "BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY SETTING ONE UP IF WE CAN FIND AN ENTITY THAT'S WILLING TO COME OUT AND TEST HERE." FOLEY SAYS MARCH - WHEN EXPERTS PREDICT A SURGE - IS ALSO WHEN THE AIRPORT SEES AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF AIR TRAVELERS HEADING OUTSIDE THE US FOR SPRING BREAK. KEVIN FOLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DES MOINES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT "AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AIRPORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND ON CLEANING A