November 30, 2021
COVID-19 Variant B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Information
- First reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by South Africa on November 24, 2021 and designated by WHO as a Variant of Concern on November 26
- WHO reports that infections in South Africa have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection of Omicron
- WHO reports that the variant has a large number of mutations, which may suggest an increased risk of re-infection
- Diagnostic tests will detect Omicron, this new COVID-19 variant
- Omicron has not yet been detected in the United States. The State Hygienic Lab continues to sequence a sample of positive COVID-19 tests to identify variant type
- Not yet clear whether Omicron is more easily spread and if it causes more severe disease compared to other variants
- The most important thing we can do to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death from this or any COVID-19 variant is to get vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 5 years and older. Those who are eligible should also receive a booster.
Vaccine Distribution Highlights
Vaccination progress among select populations as of November 30, 2021 |
| Percent fully vaccinated as of November 30, 2021 | Change from two weeks ago |
Age 65 and older (n=36,529 people) | 87.5% | 0.1% |
Age 5 and older (n=212,637 people) | 63.7% | 0.3% |
Total population (n=226,706 people) | 59.7% | 0.3% |
Vaccination status metrics are available on Linn County’s metrics dashboard.
Vaccine FAQs
COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions are updated frequently.
For questions about COVID-19 vaccine in Linn County:
Linn County Case Count Data
As of 11:10 AM November 30, 2021
- Active cases: 2,526
- Currently hospitalized: 47
- Total deaths: 441
- Total recovered: 29,813
- Total cases to date: 32,780
Case Trends
Note: The State of Iowa has transitioned from reporting positive individuals to positive tests. Linn County will continue to report positive individuals. Therefore, numbers from the state and Linn County dashboard will not match.
Additional data on COVID-19 cases is available on Linn County’s case count dashboard.
Linn County Metrics
| As of November 30, 2021 |
Test Positivity Rate* | 20.8% |
7-Day Test Positivity Rate | 19.3% |
14-Day Test Positivity Rate | 16.5% |
*Percent of positive tests to date since beginning of pandemic.
Additional Linn County metrics are available on Linn County’s metrics dashboard.
Preventing Spread of COVID-19
- In addition to vaccination, Linn County Public Health continues to recommend the use of other mitigation approaches including staying home when you're sick, washing your hands, and wearing masks and social distancing as a layered approach to make virus spread less likely.
- In areas with substantial and high transmission, CDC recommends that everyone (including fully vaccinated individuals) wear a mask in public indoor settings to help prevent spread of Delta and to keep your family safe. Linn County is in a high transmission or "red" area as defined by the CDC.
For more COVID-19 information specific to Linn County, visit LinnCounty.org/COVID19.
