Health & Safety Update

After over eight months of some of the hardest defense in long term care, COVID-19 is now effecting some of our residents and staff. We will continue notifying staff, families, and residents of each new case identified in staff and residents. Our highly dedicated and trained staff will continue fighting, and we will keep following recommendations from IDPH, DIA, and CDC. We are asking the community to please wear masks, avoid large groups, and follow recommendations from IDPH. This is something we were hoping would never happen but we need everybody's help in stopping the spread of COVID-19. We are asking for your grace, thoughts and prayers during this time. Feel free to reach out to Kate Landt at 563/873-3527 or klandt@greatrivercare.com with any questions. The care and safety of our residents is our top priority as it always has been.  We wish you could see everyone pulling together.  The staff are tired, but they are fighting for your loved ones and they will continue to give it all they've got.  We are blessed to have them.  Our dedicated staff make #grcctheplacetobe.

The following is a message from the Clayton County Board of Health:

November 3, 2020

Dear citizens of Clayton County,

As we watch the number of cases in Clayton County rise, over 200 new cases in the past 2 weeks, we also watch the number of hospitalizations climb.

For the county the positivity rate was 24% for the past 14 days and 34% for the past 3 days. Over the past week, of the cases tested in local clinics, 50-80% of tests are reported as being positive (having COVID) daily. The number of cases per 100,000 in Clayton County is 774, one of the highest in the state, the goal for this number is under 100 to indicate good control of the disease. Without mitigation, this increased number of cases will continue to lead to further spread of the disease.

The cases are spread among all ages, many businesses are affected and the cases are not related to any single event. At this time, in Clayton County, the disease is being actively spread throughout the community.

The number of admissions for many hospitals in NE Iowa are at, or very near, capacity. There is a desperate need to slow the spread, flatten the curve and protect our community and population.

We, as members of the Clayton County Board of Health and as members of the community, we are asking our towns to put in place an expectation of its citizens to step up and protect each other. We are asking that the towns ask all of their businesses to wear masks to protect their businesses from closing due to illness of

their employees and to protect their customers, allowing people to shop in their towns safely, keeping business local.

For our community during this pandemic, we are at a crossroads. Having been lucky enough to avoid it until now has been a blessing. But it is here and it is not holding back. It is a privilege to serve this community, but it will take more than just the medical professionals to fight this fight, it will take all of our community. We are

asking for help in protecting our community.

PLEASE, ask all of our businesses to wear masks and to ask their customers to wear masks. It is vital.

--Clayton County Board of Health