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Keep your distance

Officials: Webster County isn’t taking social distancing seriously; doctors recommend shelter-in-place as governor resists

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
Starting this week, some Fort Dodge stores like Target will limit the number of shoppers allowed inside the store at once to enforce social distancing measures, keeping crowds inside thin. The number of people allowed in a store will be based on the store's square footage, according to Target corporate policy. Employee Tanner Dennis stands at the front of Target on Friday.

Webster County’s medical professionals, officials and emergency operations center are begging the public to take social distancing measures more seriously, saying that cooperation over the next few days will make or break the county’s ability to handle the imminent first wave of coronavirus infections.

“We know that we will have more positives. We know that we haven’t hit our peak yet,” said Dr. Kelli Wallace, medical director of Webster County Public Health, on Friday. “We need people to take social distancing seriously.”

The statement came as Iowa announced 85 more positive cases, its highest single-day jump yet, bringing the state’s total to 699.

Wallace said current data suggests that Iowa’s number of infections will peak in late April, as things stand.

“This is our only opportunity to alter the local impact of the epidemic,” she said, telling The Messenger that the next four to five days would have a critical impact on the next four to five weeks, at least.”

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
Signs at the Target check-out lines direct shoppers on where to stop to keep their six-foot distance.

“Please do your part and stay home,” she said.

Local doctors like Wallace and Dr. Megan Srinivas, an infectious disease specialist with Community Health Center, said that strict social distancing is Webster County and Iowa’s only hope to stop the spread of coronavirus in its tracks.

“Cases are still increasing exponentially, which shows that we don’t have a containment on this issue,” Srinivas said. “We are nowhere close to ending the curve at this time.”

The “curve” she refers to is the attempt to lower the peak of infections over a longer period of time to avoid exhausting hospitals resources. Overwhelming hospital resources such as ventilators and intensive care unit beds with more people than they can handle at once could force doctors to make difficult decisions with care.

Unacast movement data, gathered using GPS technology from smartphones, has given Webster County an F in social distancing, saying that the county has only had a 6% decrease in movement in the last month, year over year. Iowa received a D-. The vast majority of counties in Iowa received a D or F; the highest grade was a C.

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
Some measures currently in place at Fort Dodge stores like Target include stickers on the floor to give social distancing guidance for shoppers at the register. 

Overall, the data suggests that the decrease in distance travelled has only been 25-40%, with less than a 55% reduction in non-essential visits and movement.

Local retail trends may reflect the accuracy of that data, as stores like Walmart and Target enacted policies this week to limit the amount of shoppers allowed in the store at once.

Starting today, Target will staff guards at the front of its store to count and limit the number of shoppers inside, enforcing social distancing measures. This comes weeks after the store started putting signs at check-out lanes directing shoppers on the appropriate distance to maintain among themselves.

Walmart corporate policy will allow five people inside per 1,000 square feet, about 20% of most stores’ capacities.

Webster County’s Emergency Operations Center gave guidelines of do’s and don’ts for social distancing.

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
A rare sighting of hand sanitizer was found at Fort Dodge's Target Friday afternoon. A limited supply of travel-sized hand sanitizers were available with a limit of one per person.

DO:

• Only leave your house for essentials like groceries or going to work. Shop alone whenever possible.

• Activities only with immediate family who live in your home.

• Utilize Zoom, FaceTime, Skype and other technologies to meet virtually with others.

• Work from home if you are able.

• Isolate at home if you are sick.

• Isolate at home for 14 days if you have travelled outside of Iowa.

DON’T:

• Gather in a parking lot to converse, even in vehicles. Governor Kim Reynolds’ proclamation prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more includes car gatherings in parking lots. All windows, doors, etc. must be closed.

• Go for walks and outdoor activities with others who don’t live in your home.

• Set up playdates or house parties.

• Go to sporting events, practices, games or even face-to-face meetings.

• Shop for non-essentials or browse stores.

• Travel for any reason that is not essential.

Gathering in groups of 10 or more is a simple misdemeanor for any purpose, even religious ones, and is enforceable by peace officers.

On Friday, doctors in Fort Dodge agreed with the Iowa Board of Medicine’s recommendation that a shelter in place order is Iowa’s best bet to flatten the curve. Iowa remains one of just five states that have not issued some form of shelter-in-place order.

“I can only speak from a medical perspective, but a shelter in place seems to be the safest option,” Wallace said.

“Modeling predictions show that shelter in place is significantly more effective,” Srinivas concurred, saying that the order would compel those being forced to commute to work in non-essential positions to stay home without consequences to their livelihood.

“We see real life examples that it’s extremely effective when enacted in a timely fashion,” she said, telling The Messenger that Iowa’s outbreak timeline is about one week behind New York, the current epicenter of the coronavirus in the U.S. with over 100,000 positive cases and nearly 3,000 deaths, so far.

The infectious disease specialist said that as resources stand, Iowa will not have enough ventilators or hospital beds if no stricter measures are put in place to stop the spread.

The Iowa Board of Medicine on Friday sent a letter to Reynolds, urging her to take the next step of issuing a shelter-in-place order. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recommended that all states shelter in place.

Asked for her reaction to that recommendation at a press conference Friday, Reynolds told reporters “I would say that maybe he doesn’t have all of the information.”

Fort Dodge Mayor Matt Bemrich said that though he believes he has the authority as mayor to declare a local shelter-in-place, the Attorney General issued an opinion disagreeing. Bemrich said he would not consider such a local measure unless there was a significant local outbreak and no state order from the governor.

Webster County Supervisor Mark Campbell said that the county is not currently considering declaring a state of emergency. He said the county’s EOC reevaluates circumstances semi-weekly and would consider taking such action with further mandates from the governor, continued defiance of mitigation measures or a spike in local infections. An emergency declaration for the county would open up new means of funding, facilitate critical supplies and allow the county to utilize the Iowa Army National Guard.

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