COVID-19

DHHS Offers Tips for Domestic Abuse Survivors in Pandemic

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 4:15pm

Lincoln – Avoiding public spaces and working remotely can help to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but for those experiencing domestic violence, staying home may be a dangerous prospect, especially as job losses and financial strain continue to escalate.

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IDPH Asks for Daily Statistics On COVID-19 from Hospitals

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 4:15pm

Iowa City, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Public Health has ordered all 118 state hospitals to report daily statistics on the number of COVID-19 patients they have hospitalized, in intensive care and on ventilators. Under the April 3 order, hospitals are required to report on the beds and medical equipment they have available and their supply of personal protective gear.

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Ricketts Praises Community Banks for COVID-19 Response

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 4:14pm

Lincoln – Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts praised the efforts of the state’s community banks to support the credit needs of their small business clients across the state, despite a fast rollout for the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

“We want to encourage any employer who has experienced substantial financial impact from the pandemic to reach out to their community banker,” Ricketts said.

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Outreach Goes Beyond English

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 4:14pm

Lincoln – Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts is calling for more messaging to non-English speakers on the COVID-19 pandemic.

CHI St. Francis is advertising on radio and billboards in Spanish, Ricketts said at a news conference at the state Capitol last Wednesday.

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MRCs, CERTs Remain Prepared

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 4:13pm

Lincoln – The Medical Reserve Corps is working with Department of Health and Human Services to help meet staff shortages in long-care facilities. The Eastern Nebraska MRC has been active in providing behavioral health services for Three Rivers, Douglas County and Sarpy County Health Departments; and is helping Three Rivers with contact tracing.

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Follow Tips to Stay Safe From Zoom, Microsoft Team Hacks

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 4:13pm

Lincoln – Due to COVID-19, an increasing number of individuals and organizations are turning to communications platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams for online meetings. In turn, malicious cyber actors are hijacking online meetings that are not secured with passwords or that use unpatched software.

Here are some tips for defending against online meeting hijacking:

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Des Moines Plans Online Class to Finish 2019-20 School Year

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 4:08pm

Des Moines, Iowa – Officials at Iowa’s largest school district have announced plans to complete the school year without having students return to the classroom.

Des Moines Public Schools started teaching courses online today for seniors. Other high school students will begin online courses April 20 and students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade will do so starting April 27.

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Omaha Chamber Survey Finds Companies Putting Staff First

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 4:08pm

Eighty-five percent of Omaha businesses say their top concern related to COVID-19 is “direct financial impact,” according to a survey by the Greater Omaha Chamber.

Respondents’ No. 2 concern was “potential recession” (54%), followed by “ability to retain staff” (29%), based on emails gathered in late March from 116 respondents.

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TAGG Offers Texting Platform To Donate to Local Businesses

Published by Scott Stewart on Thu, 04/16/2020 - 4:07pm

Waterloo – Together A Greater Good, aka TAGG, is offering a free text-to-give platform and is asking people to consider making a contribution to help their favorite local restaurants and retailers suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.