River Bend Times

Scott County’s Medical Director, Dr. Louis Katz, has pointed to the reopening of the Quad Cities as the reason COVID-19 cases have spiked recently. 

Katz told KWQC that the Quad Cities region reopened “more rapidly” than it should have, causing the numbers to go up quickly. 

“There’s an inflection point in middle and late June that is perfect timing for the concerns we had in May that reopening was coming too soon,” he said during an interview with KWQC. “Basically, the bunk of the most dangerous reopening occurred on or about Memorial Day. It takes two to three weeks then, for the cases to be diagnosed and reported. We have no doubt then that this is related to reopening more rapidly than many of us would have preferred.”

He also said the younger population can make better steps to social distance from one another. He said a key priority to offer safe in-person schooling in late August, but that could also not be able to happen because of the coronavirus numbers. 

“If the populace decides to adhere [to recommendations for social distancing and masking], we may get lucky. But right now I’m very pessimistic as to what degree we’ll be able to reopen schools in late August," he said.