As coronavirus has reached community spread in Iowa with confirmed cases in neighboring Dallas County, Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Agency is prepared for when the respiratory virus might come to the local area.

Deputy Coordinator Jeremy Cooper says he has been working closely with Adair County Health System, Guthrie County Hospital and Clinics, and Guthrie County Public Health to assist with any resources they may need from the state Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Cooper says EMA is no stranger to COVID-19, and they have been holding meetings with state and other agencies at least daily for the past couple weeks, “I can tell you that our office here has been monitoring it since January on a daily basis. We’re finally getting to a point where we got a command staff in order for Guthrie County and Adair County through our EOC and we’re ready if it ever does strike our two counties.”

Adair and Guthrie County EMA has also created a website with information on COVID-19 and the two counties’ response. You can find the site here.