COVID-19 Van Buren County Unified Press Release May 24th, 2020

Van Buren County Public Health, Board of Supervisors, Van Buren County Community School District, Van Buren County Hospitals and Clinics, Keosauqua Healthcare Center, Lee Pharmacy, Van Buren Secondary Road Department, Van Buren County EMA, Van Buren County Child Care Center, City of Keosauqua

 

To the citizens of Van Buren county:

Emergency Management Agency: As the state is opening up, please continue to follow the guidelines as much as possible. Please keep checking Facebook pages for the various county stakeholders, for the most current information. As always thank you and be safe.

Public Health: As our state is slowly reopening, Van Buren County Public Health wants to remind everyone to please limit social gatherings to 10 or less people and continue to use social distancing guidelines. CDC continues to recommend face masks or coverings while out in public, especially when staying at least 6 feet away from others is not possible.

Please continue to wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or hand sanitizer. Try to avoid touching face, mouth, or eyes.  Cover coughs and sneezes with elbow or tissue. Cleaning frequently touched surfaces such as light switches, doorknobs, etc. remains important.

Most of all please stay home if you are ill, even mildly. If you feel you need to see a doctor, please call clinic first with symptoms. Test Iowa will be opening up with fewer restrictions. If you think you need to be tested, visit https://www.testiowa.com to take the assessment. After completing the assessment, you will be given a schedule of where testing can be performed and schedule your appointment time/date. Please remember we are all in this together.

Van Buren County Offices: Registered voters have three option for voting in the upcoming primary election:

1. Vote in-person at the voter’s polling place on June 2^nd between the hours of 7:00 AM and 9:00 PM.
2. Vote absentee via mail.  Towards the end of the week of April 27^th, registered voters should receive an absentee ballot request form in the mail from the Secretary of State’s office.  The postage has been pre-paid so voters are encouraged to complete the request form and return it to the auditor’s office no later than Friday, May 22^nd. 
3. Vote in person at the courthouse complex beginning Monday, May 4^th between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM.  During the first couple of weeks in May, those who wish to vote using this option are asked to contact the Auditor’s office at (319) 293-3129 after arriving at the courthouse, and a staff member will grant them access to the first floor of the 1840 courthouse in order to vote.  As Governor Reynolds continues to lift restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, absentee voting will eventually move to the auditor’s office on the second floor of the office building.  For your convenience, the auditor’s office will be open on Saturday, May 30^th from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  In person voting will continue through Monday, June 1^st.

 

The Van Buren County Courthouse offices will re-open to the public

On June 1, 2020 with the following guidelines:

• Please refrain from entering the courthouse if you are ill or are experiencing fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
• Face coverings for customers are voluntary.
• When possible, persons doing business are encouraged to come to the courthouse alone.
• Out of respect of others, please practice social distancing while in the courthouse.
• The public health nurses will continue performing daily health screenings for all employees.
• Staff members will NOT be required to wear a mask. 
• Staff members have increased their cleaning practices to maintain a healthy environment.
• Driver’s license will be by appointment only, as it is also throughout the state.  In the last couple months, the DOT has made many adjustments to try to continue to serve the needs of Iowa drivers, while observing the state guidelines for safe interactions.  Many of those adjustments and additions have made it easier for drivers to accomplish their goals without leaving their homes.  Please go to iowadot.gov to learn all about the new streamlined permit testing, renewing and updating that can be done at home.  There are still several things that can’t be done online, and of course, if you aren’t comfortable doing your business online, we are here for you!  Call us at 319-293-3110 to schedule your driver license appointment.  All other treasurer’s office business (taxes, motor vehicle licensing, etc.) will still be done as before, without appointment, but observing social distancing. 
• The Clerk of Court’s office will NOT be open to the public until further notice.  If you are coming to the courthouse for court services, please call (319) 293-3108.

 

Feel free to contact any of our offices with questions.

Assessor             (319) 293-3001                                            EMA                     (319) 288-0883    

Clerk of Court   (319) 293-3108                                            Local Health      (319) 293-3431    

Recorder            (319) 293-3240                                            Treasurer           (319) 293-3110

Auditor/Board of Supervisors  (319) 293-3129

Veterans Affairs/General Relief              (319) 293-3793

 

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding in our efforts to serve the public.

Van Buren County Hospital and Clinics: Van Buren County Hospital Clinics are seeing patients their normal hours. All departments except Cardio Pulmonary Rehab are seeing patients. Cardio Pulmonary is moving to the building that was Village Terrace and are planning on opening sometime in June.

VBCH has also been able to order Point of Care COVID testing. We do not have a delivery date yet, but this will allow us to do some COVID testing in-house.

We are still screening at the door and ask that you call to make an appointment, 319-293-8732.

Keosauqua Health Care Center: The care and safety of your loved one remain our number one priority!  Please continue to connect with your loved one(s) through telephone calls, emails, texts, ecards, video chat or social media.  Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we face this Pandemic together.  We encourage everyone to continue to social distance and protect those most at risk.