The Iowa Department of Public Health has classified COVID-19 as endemic. Marion County Public Health Director Kim Dorn says this means it’s likely to not simply disappear.

“It is endemic in the population. What that means is it’s just expected to be there, kind of like the flu during flu season. I think people are hoping this will go away, but it’s not going to go away. Endemic means to assume it to be in the population, and that we’re going to have to learn to live with this.”

Marion County Public Health is no longer keeping track of case counts, and does not handle them on a case-by-case basis. Instead, they are working to provide general guidance for positive cases. Hear more on an upcoming Let’s Talk Knoxville.