Linn County Issues Face Covering Regulation

Due to the alarming surge in positive COVID-19 cases and record-breaking hospitalizations across the country and locally, the Linn County Board of Supervisors today signed a resolution unanimously approving the Linn County Board of Health’s face covering regulation. The Linn County Board of Health unanimously approved the regulation at its noon meeting on Monday, November 16.
 
This action by these two boards makes face coverings mandatory in public places throughout Linn County, whenever six (6) feet of physical distance cannot be maintained. The regulation took effect Nov. 19, 2020. This action aligns with the recommendations of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and the Centers for Disease Control on the use of face coverings in public to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Scientific studies have shown that face coverings over the mouth and nose significantly reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Linn County Public Health Releases Holiday Guidance

As we approach Thanksgiving and other winter holidays, Linn County Public Health (LCPH) urges residents to review and follow Holiday Guidance to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. This guidance, based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), includes:

• Considerations for Small Gatherings
• Considerations for Hosting or Attending a Gathering
• Travel Considerations 
• Holiday activities by risk level, including: 
  • Lowest Risk: Having a small dinner with only people who live in your household, having a virtual dinner with friends and family, and contactless shopping. 
  • Moderate Risk: Having a small outdoor dinner with no more than 10 family and friends who live in your community
  • Higher Risk: Attending indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household and shopping in crowded stores 

Linn County Public Health Updates COVID-19 Close Contact Definition 

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Linn County continue to climb to unprecedented numbers since the pandemic first began. This increase in cases within a short amount of time is pushing our healthcare system towards a critical level, affecting bed and staff capacity to care for ill patients. In response to this threat, and to protect the health and safety of our community, Linn County Public Health (LCPH) has updated its close contact definition to match the CDC; and recommends additional actions to combat this increase. 

Close contact is defined as:

• Being within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more in a 24-hour period, starting from 2 days before illness onset or testing.
• Living in the same household as a person diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them).
• Being sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you from a COVID-19 infected individual.

Linn County Food Systems County Releases Finalized Assessment

The Linn County Food Systems Council released their finalized food system assessment, a project initiated to better understand the Linn County food system, hear from those working and living in it, and understand how Linn County can increase production and improve access to healthy, local foods. 

Learn more and view the finalized assessment.

Find Us Online:

  Website: LinnCounty.org
Twitter:    @LinnCounty
                        @LinnCoConserv

                                                                      @lc_elections
                                                                      @LCPublicHealth
                                                                      @LinnIASheriff

          Facebook: Linn County, Iowa