FDA will rigorously review vaccines for children under 5, surgeon general says

Governor of Iowa announced Thursday that the state’s coronavirus emergency proclamation will end on February 15, a decision that will affect how coronavirus data will be reported.
Extending the proclamation indefinitely is no longer necessary, Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) said in a statement after signing the final extension of the state’s Public Health Disaster Emergency Proclamation, which has been active since on March 17, 2020 and helped the state implement health measures to limit the spread of the virus.
“After two years, it is no longer feasible or necessary. Influenza and other infectious diseases are part of our daily lives, and coronavirus can be managed the same way,” she said.
Two coronavirus-dedicated sites will be taken out of service on February 16.
Instead, the Iowa Department of Public Health will post coronavirus information weekly on its website, including positive tests since March 2020, the previous seven days, and vaccination data.
Kelly Garcia, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, said the agency will continue to monitor and track coronavirus information daily.
“The new format will include data points that Iowans are used to seeing, but brings us closer to existing reporting standards for other respiratory viruses,” Garcia said. “This new phase also ensures that our teams, who have been deeply engaged in the response to COVID-19, can resume their pre-pandemic responsibilities and refocus on areas where the pandemic has taken its toll.”
Iowa has reported more than 724,000 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began along with more than 8,600 deaths, according to Washington Post data.
Hawkeye State currently has a seven-day rolling average of new cases of more than 3,000, according to the data.