CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Iowa announced on Wednesday that it will report data in a new process that will focus on the total number of tests performed rather than the individuals tested.
The change will significantly lower the state’s positivity rate as the number of positive tests is divided by the tests taken. Previously, Iowa reported its’ COVID-19 data on an individual level.
The old method resulted in each Iowan showing only once in the state data, no matter how many times they were tested. For example, if someone took 30 tests, they would only show up once in the state’s “ Tested Individuals ” count, not 30 times.
This resulted in the state with higher test numbers and a lower positivity rate. But Iowa didn’t show those numbers.
In October, the state’s public health department made a decision to list both the total number of tests taken and the individuals tested to reflect that challenge.
This change, announced Tuesday, will focus solely on the total number of tests taken. The change is expected to go live sometime this week.
Director Garcia said it originally wanted to implement the change earlier, but it delayed the change as the State Department faced a wave of affairs in November.
On vaccines, Governor Reynolds said on Tuesday that the state’s vaccine stockpile is increasing. She said the state’s vaccine supply will increase to 62,000 doses, which she says is a 24% increase from the 49,000 the state received.
She also said the White House said the Food and Drug Administration will make a decision on the emergency permit for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine in late February.
Governor Kim Reynolds also announced that the state will not move forward with Microsoft’s centralized COVID-19 website for planning vaccine appointments. Our KCRG-TV9 i9 Investigative Unit reported on Tuesday that multiple counties were unsure whether they would use the site.
Reynolds cited the challenges other states have faced in the rollout of vaccines and talks with vaccine partners for the decision not to proceed with the contract.
“It quickly became apparent that the integration of the many pre-existing registration and scheduling platforms used by some of our public health departments, pharmacies and other vaccine providers would not be possible in a timely manner without significant disruption to their current systems, and we wanted to make progress that we don’t delay booking, ”said Reynold.
Instead, Reynolds said the state is shifting its focus from building a new system to optimizing the overall registration and planning process for Iowans.
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