Peak nearing, state of Iowa begins contract with University of Iowa to create COVID-19 models

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Experts working to develop models to help Iowa public health officials predict and manage the coronavirus pandemic are racing against time.

A contract shows the Iowa Department of Public Health and the University of Iowa College of Public Health didn’t reach a formal agreement to work together to create Iowa-specific pandemic models until April 7. 

The agreement calls for the college to produce predictive models within two weeks of receiving the department’s coronavirus data, or on another mutually agreed upon schedule. 

The goal of the models is to help Iowa public health officials and Gov. Kim Reynolds predict the severity of the outbreak and make decisions about specific mitigation strategies.

College of Public Health spokesman Daniel McMillan said in an email last week that the project was just getting underway and scientists were busy “given the urgency of the work they’re doing.” The college won’t be paid under the contract but will get the department’s data for free.