As novel coronavirus 2019 has been confirmed in Adair County, the Adair County Health System is taking precautions to ensure the health of its staff, patients, and the public.

Marketing Coordinator Tiffany Johnson shares that the hospital and clinics have cancelled some elective procedures, but their main focus so far has been public access, “We closed down all the doors except for the emergency room registration area, and then the Adair County Medical Clinic entrance in Greenfield and then obviously the Adair County Medical Clinic entrance in Stuart. So those are the only three places that we are allowing people to enter just so we can screen people, that was a big change for us.”

The Adair County Health System and Guthrie County Hospital has also begun testing for COVID-19 on people who meet a certain criteria. Information on the first confirmed case of COVID-19 has not been released by the Iowa Department of Public Health, though person-to-person spread has begun in the state. In response the Adair County Courthouse and Greenfield City Hall have closed to the public until further notice. More information on Adair and Guthrie counties’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic can be found here, and you can hear more from Johnson during today’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County Program.