COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Information

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2 and was discovered in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. It is very contagious and has quickly spread around the world.  

COVID-19 most often causes respiratory symptoms that can feel much like a cold, a flu, or pneumonia. COVID-19 may attack more than your lungs and respiratory system. Other parts of your body may also be affected by the disease.  

• Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people become severely ill. 
• Some people including those with minor or no symptoms may suffer from post-COVID conditions — or “long COVID”. 
• Older adults and people who have certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. 
• Hundreds of thousands of people have died from COVID-19 in the United States.
•  Vaccines against COVID-19 are safe and effective. Vaccines teach our immune system to fight the virus that causes COVID-19.

COVID-19 Community Levels are a new tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. Take precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 based on the COVID-19 Community Level in your area. 

Click here to view COVID-19 Community Levels.

All Iowans 6 months and older are now eligible to receive the vaccine, and there are things you should know so you're prepared to be vaccinated when it's your turn.

1. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Each vaccine has gone through extensive testing in clinical trials, which is the standard process for all vaccines. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitors the testing process to ensure safety and efficacy before authorizing any vaccine for use. Even though the COVID-19 vaccine was developed, tested and approved much faster than other vaccines, the same process was followed.
2. The vaccine will not give you COVID-19. The vaccine doesn’t contain the virus, but it does help your cells make one of the virus proteins that builds the antibodies you need to fight the virus.
3. After getting the vaccine, you may experience some side effects. The most common are pain and swelling in your arm where you received the shot. Most side effects are mild and could include headache, fever, chills, and tiredness. If you have side effects that last longer than a few days, call your doctor.
4. You can’t get the vaccine if you have COVID-19 at the time of vaccination. You must be recovered from the illness and done with quarantine before being vaccinated.
5. Even if you’ve already had COVID-19 and recovered, you should still get vaccinated. Experts are still learning about how long natural immunity lasts. Getting vaccinated is a safe, effective way to protect yourself. However, if you were treated with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma while ill, you should wait 90 days before being vaccinated. Talk to your doctor if you’re unsure about the treatments you received.

To schedule a COVID-19 with Medicap Pharmacy in Eldora please visit: https://www.mymedicappharmacy.com/eldora. 

To locate a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you please visit https://vaccinate.iowa.gov/.

We have at-home COVID-19 test kits available free of charge to the public.  They require a saliva sample and the individual must mail the specimen to the State Hygienic Lab with the prepaid UPS shipping label. You can pick up a free at-home test kit during our normal business hours. For more information visit: https://www.testiowa.com/en/