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Health And Fitness
LIFESERVE BLOOD CENTER INVITES YOU TO HELP SAVE YOUR NEIGHBORS IN BENTON COUNTY
LifeServe Blood Center and Virginia Gay Hospital
continue to celebrate their partnership. LifeServe, ranked as one of the top 15 blood centers in the
country, is the sole supplier of all blood and blood products to patients who entrust their care to
Virginia Gay Hospital.
LifeServe Blood Center provides 100% of all blood products needed to 175 hospitals primarily
across Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Illinois.
House passes bill requiring 80% of UI medical students have Iowa roots
By Robin OpsahlHouse lawmakers passed a measure 67-28 Wednesday to require at least 80% of students admitted to the University of Iowa’s medical and dentistry colleges to be Iowa residents or people enrolled at Iowa colleges.In the 2024 academic year, an estimated 70% of students at the UI College of Medicine and College of Dentistry are Iowa residents, according to analysis from the Legislative Services Agency.
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Iowa Health and Human Services Share a Snapshot of Benton County
A report from Iowa's Health and Human Services, released a snapshot of the county. Currently, the county is home to 25,796 residents out of Iowa's population of.3,207,004.The life expectancy of Benton County, is 79.7 years, while across Iowa the expectancy is 78.1 years. Concerning care in the county, Benton County is a
shortage area for
Primary Care
Physicians but is not a
shortage area for
Dental Care
Providers.
Bill would require manufacturers to waive immunity for vaccines in Iowa
By Robin OpsahlAn Iowa House subcommittee advanced a bill Wednesday that would prohibit vaccines from being distributed and administered in Iowa unless the vaccine manufacturer waives legal immunities.Medical students, practitioners and advocates said the measure could prevent some vaccines from being available in Iowa, and could contribute to a rise in the spread of diseases like measles that can be prevented through vaccinations.
WINTER WEATHER IMPACTS LOCAL BLOOD SUPPLY
Extreme winter weather has caused widespread disruptions across the Midwest, resulting in canceled blood drives and closures of LifeServe Blood Center Donor Centers across Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Illinois. Unfortunately, this has led to the loss of more than 900 blood donations, significantly impacting the supply of lifesaving blood products for patients in need.
Benton County Hosts 10th Annual Health & Wellness Fair
The Benton County Community Health and Wellness Fair returned for its 10th year on Saturday, transforming Vinton-Shellsburg High School's gym into a hub of health resources and community support. The event aimed to connect residents with local services, providing health screenings, demonstrations, and information from numerous organizations.Attendees received free goodie bags filled with resources from participating groups, which ranged from healthcare providers to legal aid and senior services. Bill proposes funding for free tampons, pads in school restrooms
By Robin OpsahlA House Education subcommittee unanimously advanced a bill Monday to require school districts provide free feminine hygiene products, like tampons and menstrual pads, in school restrooms.The bill, House File 543, would provide state funding beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 for the mandate that these sanitary products be available in at least half of restrooms for students in grades 6 through 12.
Iowa House panel advances bill to limit SNAP-eligible foods to healthy options
The Iowa House Health and Human Services Committee voted 14-6 to advance a bill that would allocate $1 million to the Double Up Food Bucks program, if federal food assistance for Iowans is limited to healthy food purchases only. Most food insecurity groups opposed the bill and urged lawmakers to separate the funding for the Double Up Food Bucks program, which allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to double their spending on fruits and vegetables.
Bill banning mRNA vaccines in Iowa passes subcommittee
By Robin OpsahlSome COVID vaccines would be barred in Iowa. A bill banning gene-based vaccines, like some forms of the COVID-19 vaccine, received approval from a Senate subcommittee Monday.Senate File 360 would prohibit health care providers from administering gene-based vaccines, with penalties of a misdemeanor charge and a fine of $500 for each violation, as well as requiring a review of the provider’s license.
2024 Fall Tracking Portal Updates: Immunizations
The 2025 Winter Tracking Portal update includes new data for the data visualizations listed below.We have included a direct link to the webpage where the data visualizations are accessible. If you visit these visualizations often, we encourage you to create a new bookmark so that you can easily find them in their new location on the Iowa HHS website.
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