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Today, the Iowa Department of Public Health was reporting another 34 COVID-19 deaths and an additional 804 confirmed cases in the state.
At 10 a.m. today, the state reported 5,067 COVID-19-related deaths, an increase of 34 since yesterday.
Woodbury County has marked another grim milestone, surpassing 200 COVID-19-related deaths. Today, Siouxland District Health says 201 residents have died from the coronavirus in the county. IDPH data show there have been more than 13, 3oo cases of covid-19 as well.
A vaccine first became available in Siouxland in December, and the second round of vaccines is coming this month.
A total of 1,673 Woodbury County residents have received a full course of two COVID-19 vaccine doses, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported Thursday.
Unionized Sioux City School District teachers are also seeking a one-time "overload" pay hike related to increased teaching duties associated with instructing students during the pandemic.
In an initial proposal announced yesterday, the Sioux City Journal reports that the Sioux City Education Association asked for the overload pay of $1,200 per teacher. Additionally, they sought a salary increase of 4 percent for the next academic year.
Brenda Zahner, director of the Siouxland UniServ group of the Iowa State Education Association, said teachers work hard for students, which has never been more true than teaching amid a pandemic. Zahner said the district is anticipated to receive $21 million in federal money related to extra pandemic costs, so she said teachers should share in that.
