Beginning in November, Henry County Public Health will only be giving the COVID-19 vaccines on Thursdays. November 3^rd and 17^th will be from 9-5:30 and November 10^th will be from 9-3:30. We do have the new COVID-19 bivalent boosters which protect against both the original COVID-19 strain and the more recent omicron variants. Anyone age 5 or older is eligible as long as it’s been at least 2 months from either your last dose in your primary series or your most recent booster. There is no cost for any of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Flu shots are available during those November COVID-19 clinics as well as during regular immunization clinic hours on Tuesdays 9-11 and Wednesdays 1-4. The cost is $40 unless we can bill your insurance. Unfortunately we are out of the high dose flu shots for the year.

If you or someone you know is homebound, Public Health staff will come to your home to give both the flu and COVID-19 vaccine. Just call 319-385-0779 to make an appointment.

Public Health will be closed for holidays on November 11^th, 24^th and 25^th. For the latest updates visit HealthyHenryCounty.org/covid, call 319-385-0779, or follow Facebook.com/HealthyHenryCounty

Domestic Violence Non-Profit Will Partner With Local Grocery Stores in Burlington and Mount Pleasant for Goods Drive During Domestic Violence Awareness Month

 Burlington, Iowa: The Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) will host a Shop for Safety donation drive on October 26th, 2022 from 4:00 PM- 7:00 PM. Participating stores include both HyVee locations in Burlington (3140 W Agency St and 939 Angular St) and the HyVee in Mount Pleasant (1700 E Washington St).

DVIP volunteers and staff will be onsite at each location to solicit donations for the organization’s most needed items. The goods collected at this event will provide hygiene items, household cleaning supplies, and gift cards for over 900 individuals the agency serves in their southern service region each year.

“In-kind donations are a crucial part of our work in helping victim-survivors,” said Alta Medea, Director of Community Engagement. “By providing folks with the basic necessities we, as a community, can allow them to focus on their next steps to safety.”

DVIP has reported a dramatic increase in the number of individuals served in their southern tier of counties. Ms. Medea explained, “In the past year DVIP assisted 929 individuals in our rural areas. This number has increased 38% YOY. An increase of this size means we need more resources to serve victim/survivors in our community.”

How can you help?

• Volunteer: DVIP is seeking new volunteers for events throughout the year. Individuals interested in volunteer opportunities can fill out this form: https://dvipiowa.org/volunteer-application-form/
• Shop: You can view DVIP’s Top Needs List here: https://dvipiowa.org/top-ten-needs/ Please call to schedule a drop-off appointment.
• Donate: You can donate and learn more about the Domestic Violence Intervention Program by visiting their website at dvipiowa.org/donate

About the Domestic Violence Intervention Program: The Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) provides comprehensive services to victim/survivors of intimate partner violence. For over 40 years, DVIP has offered support, resources, and safety to individuals in an eight-county service region which includes Cedar, Des Moines, Henry, Iowa, Lee, Johnson, Washington, and Van Buren counties. DVIP’s services include a 24/7/365 hotline, safety planning, advocacy, trauma-informed counseling, emergency pet programs, and more. Individuals who need help should call our hotline at 1-800-373-1043.

 Provided by Justin Glisan, Ph.D., State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

An unseasonably cool and dry weather pattern took hold over the Midwest through most of the reporting period with negative temperature departures of up to seven degrees across portions of Iowa; the statewide average temperature was 45.7 degrees, 3.8 degrees below normal. While several eastern Iowa stations reported trace amounts of rainfall, only a few National Weather Service co-op stations observed measurable totals. Overall, statewide precipitation deficits were on the order of 0.40 inch to 0.60 inch. 

Blustery northwesterly winds continued through Sunday (16th) afternoon as clouds cleared from west to east. A dome of high pressure and an unseasonably cold airmass ushered in mid 40s into northwestern Iowa while upper 50s were registered in the southeast. Overnight lows into Monday (17th) were generally in the upper 20s and low 30s under clear skies. Daytime highs did not rebound appreciably as windy conditions persisted; upper 30s to low 40s were observed from north to south. Scattered cloud cover filtered into eastern Iowa along with very isolated pockets of drizzle and light rain. Morning lows on Tuesday (18th) were some of the coldest of the season with single digits reported in northwestern Iowa while temperatures farther southeast were up to 20 degrees warmer; the statewide average low was 20 degrees, 18 degrees below normal. Sunshine greeted chilly conditions through the day with afternoon highs gradually climbing into the upper 40s over Iowa’s southeastern half. Wind shifted to the west as the sun rose on Wednesday (19th) with teens to mid 20s observed west to east. Clear conditions and highs in the upper 40s to low 50s were observed through the afternoon hours with pockets of upper-level haze moving across Iowa.

A shift in the weather pattern ushered in unseasonably warm temperatures on Thursday (20th) as upper 60s and low 70s were reported at most of Iowa’s stations. A transition to southerly winds overnight into Friday (21st) held morning temperatures in the upper 30s to mid 40s over much of Iowa with a pocket of warmer readings in west-central Iowa. With cloudless skies and a south to southwesterly wind, warmth continued as daytime conditions ranged from the low 70s over northern Iowa to low 80s across Iowa’s southern one-third. The warmest day of the week dawned on Saturday (22nd) with morning lows in the mid to upper 50s in south-central Iowa, 10 to 15 degrees above average. Very windy conditions built in during the afternoon and evening hours with upper 70s to upper 80s reported statewide; the statewide average high was 82 degrees, 23 degrees above normal. Gusty southeasterly winds remained overnight with pockets of partly cloudy conditions developing. Sunday (23rd) morning lows, in the upper 50s and low 60s, were balmy as southerly moisture began to boost dewpoints in advance of a low pressure center.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from no accumulation at most of Iowa’s reporting stations to 0.01 inch at Maquoketa (Jackson County). The statewide weekly average rainfall was a trace while the normal is 0.56 inch. Ottumwa Industrial Airport (Wapello County) reported the week’s high temperature of 87 degrees on the 22nd, 26 degrees above normal. Spencer Municipal Airport (Clay County) reported the week’s low temperature of 7 degrees on the 18th, 30 degrees below normal. Four-inch soil temperatures were in the mid 50s northeast to low 60s southwest as of Sunday.