A healthcare worker is shown April 17 at a drive-thru coronavirus testing site in Sioux City. By Dec. 22, 11,850 Woodbury County residents had tested positive for COVID-19 and 159 had died from the virus. The wide-ranging impact COVID-19 had on the region is The Journal's No. 1 story of 2020.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal
Jeremy Cotter of Sioux City holds a Captain America shield and a sign proclaiming healthcare workers as heroes on APril 24 at the corner of Stone Park Blvd. and Pierce St. near UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's in Sioux City. Cotter said he demonstrating to show support for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal
SIOUX CITY -- The spread of the novel coronavirus upended life for Siouxlanders in 2020 by shuttering businesses, forcing schools to go online and compelling residents to mask up.
As the year draws to a close, thousands of Siouxlanders have tested positive for COVID-19 and the virus has claimed hundred of lives in the region. In most people, COVID-19 causes only mild symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and people with pre-existing health problems, the virus can produce more severe illness, including pneumonia.
In early March, area nursing homes locked down, hospitals began imposing visitor restrictions and churches cancelled services in effort to stave off the spread of the virus, which was first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. Face masks, hand sanitizer and even toilet paper began flying off grocery and big-box store shelves, as Siouxlanders sought to hunker down and protect themselves.
The remainder of the games in the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship were cancelled abruptly on March 12 due to the virus, even though not a single case had been diagnosed in Woodbury County. Four days later, the City of Sioux City closed its facilities to the public, including City Hall, the Sioux City Art Center, Tyson Events Center and Sioux City Public Library.
The Sioux City Community School District shuttered its buildings for the school year on March 15, upon Gov. Kim Reynolds' recommendation. The next day, Reynolds declared a statewide public health disaster emergency that included limiting gatherings to 10 people and closing bars, restaurants, casinos and other businesses in response to the coronavirus outbreak. At the time, the state had just 23 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Other impacted businesses included fitness centers, health clubs, gyms and aquatic centers. Prior to the governor's proclamation, AMC at Southern Hills Mall and Promenade Cinema 14 in downtown Sioux City announced plans to close their movie theaters.
Scores of Sioux City businesses were forced to quickly comply with the governor's order, which took effect at noon on St. Patrick's Day, ordinarily a busy time for many bars and restaurants. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Sioux City shut down its 45,000-square-foot casino at noon that day. Unemployment in metro Sioux City skyrocketed to a record 9.3 percent in April as businesses and government offices laid off or furloughed workers in the wake of the closures.
Funeral services in Sioux City were postponed to a later date or proceeded with very limited attendance after the mandate was issued.
Some inmates at the Woodbury County Jail were released in an effort to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility, while the Sioux City Police Department announced it would be conducting fewer routine traffic stops in an effort to stem the number of infections in police officers. State and federal courts postponed some trials and hearings and urged attorneys to appear via telephone or video conference.
On March 20, the City of Sioux City suspended in-person public attendance at City Council meetings until further notice. Three days later, Sioux City hospitals postponed elective surgeries. That same week, the Warming Shelter closed its doors for the season roughly a month early over concerns that the virus would spread very quickly in the emergency shelter's tight quarters.

A person parked in their car along Dakota Avenue in South Sioux City holds a sign of support for Tyson plant workers during the traditional shift change time April 22. An outbreak of COVID-19 sickened hundreds of workers and forced Tyson to temporarily shut down its Dakota City beef plant in early May.
Tim Hynds, Sioux City JournalSiouxland District Health Department announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Woodbury County on March 21, a woman between 41 and 60 years old.
Up to 60 patients a day began being tested for the novel coronavirus at a drive-thru testing site that opened March 25 on Siouxland Community Health Center's property. Patients remained in their vehicles while medical professionals dressed in light-blue gowns, gloves, masks and face shields, collected nasal swabs.
On April Fools Day, city officials shut down another facet of daily life in Sioux City, playgrounds and sport courts. But, parks and recreation trails remain opened for people to walk, jog and run.
During an April 8 interview with The Journal about the City of Sioux City’s response to the pandemic, Mayor Bob Scott said residents were doing a "great job" with social distancing and other measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
"I think if we can weather the next two or three weeks around here and the weather changes and it does get warmer, which they think will have an impact, we might come out of this in not too bad of shape, so hopefully the next two weeks will tell the tale," he said.

Sam Welter of Denver, left, hugs her sister, Maddie Welter, a senior guard on the St. Xavier University basketball team, outside the locker room tunnel March 12, after NAIA officials read a statement over the Tyson Events Center's public address system that the NAIA DII Women's Basketball Championship tournament had been canceled effective immediately. NAIA officials called off the tournament in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Jordyn Van Maanen, a sophomore guard for Dordt University, makes a phone call March 12, moments after NAIA officials read a statement over the Tyson Events Center's public address system that the NAIA DII Women's Basketball Championship tournament had been canceled effective immediately. Dordt was scheduled to play a 1:45 p.m. first-round game against Reinhardt University. NAIA officials called off the tournament in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

A message board at North High School advises people to stay home Monday, March 16, 2020. The Sioux City Community School District, as well as numerous schools across the state, announced the previous night that classes had been canceled for four weeks in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Marto Brewing Co., 930 Fourth St., rapidly changed March 17 from a eat-in restaurant and sit-down taproom into a takeout place offering both food and craft beer growlers. The move was required after Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a statewide emergency declaration that suspended on-site consumption of food and beverages at bars and restaurants for at least two weeks.
- Jesse Brothers, Sioux City Journal

Mike Sullivan, assistant Storm Lake elementary principal, passes out a lunch Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at West Ninth Street Park in Storm Lake. The Storm Lake Community School District started free distribution of breakfasts and lunches to anyone under 18 to help feed youth who would otherwise be missing meals in the wake of the schools' closure over COVID-19 pandemic concerns.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

In this March 18 file photo, Kevin Grieme, Siouxland District Health Department director, answers questions during a news conference as Tyler Brock, deputy director, looks on at the Security Institute on Western Iowa Tech Community College's campus in Sioux City. Â
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal file

A bag reserving a parking stall for people picking up food is shown March 20 on Fourth Street in front of Buffalo Alice, which is among the bars and restaurants that were limited to carryout and delivery service at the time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Matthew McCrory, a junior at Sergeant Bluff-Luton High School, works on algebra II homework on one monitor and a Western Iowa Tech Community College class on another March 23 in his bedroom at his family's Sergeant Bluff home. Â
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

YMCA employee Adam Mueller holds a box of meat while waiting for a car to pull up March 26 at the Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA in South Sioux City. Tyson Foods, the Food Bank of Siouxland and the YMCA worked together to give away a semi-trailer load of 20-pound boxes of meat to families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. YMCA staffers also gave away a roll of toilet paper to people going through the line.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Melissa Levering, a nurse at MercyOne Singing Hills Urgent Care, is shown April 8 in the protective mask, face shield, gown and gloves necessary to conduct COVID-19 tests. She said her background working in emergency rooms has helped her to dive in and have no fear of getting sick from the coronavirus.
- Jesse Brothers, Sioux City Journal

Bishop R. Walker Nickless conducts a service in front of a smartphone which live streams to YouTube in this April 9 photo at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City. Churches were closed on Easter because of the pandemic.
- Jesse Brothers Sioux City Journal

A person parked in their car along Dakota Avenue in South Sioux City holds a sign of support for Tyson plant workers during the traditional shift change time April 22. An outbreak of COVID-19 sickened hundreds of workers and forced Tyson to temporarily shut down its Dakota City beef plant in early May.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Dave Henderson, right, and Darrel Engelking, left, stock shelves at Food Pride in Ida Grove, Iowa, Thursday, April 23, 2020. The county had not recorded a COVID-19 case at that time, among the last counties in Siouxland with that distinction.
- Jesse Brothers, Sioux City Journal

Sioux City's Jim Cole leads a park of IMCA Modifieds around the last corner during the second IMCA Modified heat race, which Cole won, during the Open Wheel Nationals event at Park Jefferson Speedway on Saturday, April 25, 2020. The races continued despite the pandemic.
- Justin Rust, Sioux City Journal

A person walks in the parking lot of Tyson Fresh Meats' flagship beef plant in Dakota City on April 29. The meat giant announced earlier that day it would close the 4,300-employee plant for four days to deep clean the facility.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Suzanne Khuninh-Nguyen, center, is flanked by her sister, Katelynn Khuninh, left, and niece, Suhn Khuninh, as she holds a photo of their father and grandfather, Viengxay Khuninh, May 1, in the front yard of her parents' Dakota City home. Viengxay Khuninh, 69, died the previous week of COVID-19. He was a worker at Tyson Fresh Meats' Dakota City beef plant.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

People shop May 6 at the Sioux City Farmers Market in downtown Sioux City. The market opened for the season that day. Restrictions, including the type, number and spacing of vendor booths, were in place at the market in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Cordoned off bleachers are shown during Sioux City North vs. Westwood softball action played Monday, June 15 at Sioux City North High School. It was the first day for high school softball and baseball games in the state after the season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Family members seated in lawn chairs watch the senior rabbit showmanship contest Wednesday, July 15, 2020, at the Monona County Fair in Onawa, Iowa. The fair took place with no commercial exhibits, food stands or spectators other than family members of 4-Hers and FFA members who were showing livestock. The limitations were put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Kayla Sturgeon, a certified research coordinator with Meridian Clinical Research, administers an experimental COVID-19 vaccine to Jessy Stultz, a Sioux City volunteer, at Meridian's research center in Dakota Dunes on Aug. 6. Clinical trials for the vaccine entered the third phase that week.Â
- Jesse Brothers, Sioux City Journal

Montel Spears and his wife, Tanelle Spears, buy popcorn and soda at the concession stand from cashier John Lerch, left, before their Aug. 22 matinee at the Promenade Cinema 14 in downtown Sioux City. Movie theaters in the Sioux City metro have reopened after being closed five months due to the pandemic.Â
- Jesse Brothers, Sioux City Journal

Students leave Sioux City's West Middle School at the end of the school day on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020. Starting the previous day, all seventh-graders went to online instruction due to COVID-19, and by the next day, the entire building was be switched to virtual learning.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Denver Zirbel holds a sign while greeting passing cars from The Arena Sports Academy parade float during the 2020 Drive-by Downtown Holiday Lighted Parade held Nov. 23 in downtown Sioux City. The annual parade, hosted by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 231, changed to a drive-by format this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

The Rev. Tom LoVan, pastor at Morningside Lutheran Church, talks about the 18 members of his church who have died from COVID-19 while he sits in the home of Ha Lo, right, who tested positive for the virus in April, along with her husband.Â
- Jesse Brothers, Sioux City Journal





Seven months later, The New York Times would note in a story that although other places have had "bigger outbreaks, worse days and faster surges," few have experienced the "sustained pain" that the Sioux City metro has.
On April 20, as the number of positive tests for COVID-19 in metro Sioux City surged to 160, a top Tyson Fresh Meats official denied the company's flagship beef plant in Dakota City, Nebraska, was the main source for the COVID-19 outbreak.
"People are led to believe our plant is a vector of community spread, but that is not the case," Tyson group president Steve Stouffer said. "There is no way of knowing where our community members are getting this."
A source familiar with the situation at the plant later told The Journal that a total of 669 workers tested positive for COVID-19. Raymundo Corral, a frontline worker at the plant, was the first Woodbury County resident to succumb to the virus. The 64-year-old died at his Sioux City home on April 18.
The Sioux City metro skyrocketed to the top of the nation's coronavirus hotspots, recording daily triple digit increases in cases on April 23 and 24. The surge came as local public health officials, for the first time, appeared to link much of the outbreak to the Tyson Fresh Meats plant. Facing growing public scrutiny over the outbreak, Tyson Fresh Meats shut down the 4,300-employee facility for multiple days to deep clean the entire plant.
By May 8, Woodbury County's cumulative hospitalization rate had more than doubled the national average.
As part of their surge plans, MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center and UnityPoint Health -- St. Luke's opened intensive care units in other areas of the hospital and requested additional ventilators and personal protective equipment. To free up more ICU beds for COVID-19 patients, St. Luke's transferred some patients to other hospitals. A health care provider familiar with MercyOne, who spoke to The Journal on the condition of anonymity, described the atmosphere in the downtown hospital as "intense."
Reynolds announced on May 20 that COVID-19 cases had stabilized enough to allow indoor movie theaters, zoos, museums, aquariums and wedding reception venues to resume operations with restrictions. A week later, bars and other establishments that serve alcohol were permitted to do the same.
Also in May, Meridian Clinical Research in Dakota Dunes began conducting trials on Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. Both Moderna's and Pfizer-BioNTech's shots are mRNA vaccines, which contain a piece of genetic code that trains the immune system to recognize the spiked protein on the surface of the virus.
Sioux City School District officials decided the 2020-21 year would begin Aug. 25, with approximately half the students attending school in person on Mondays and Thursdays, and the other half on Tuesdays and Fridays. Then, on Sept. 8, students in the district resumed full in-person instruction. Since then, various class sections have moved online and some buildings have had to close due to a substantial number of COVID-19 cases.

Habtom Yohannes helps his daughter Herma Yohannes put on a mask while walking with Herma and brother Ermiam Yohannes to Bryant Elementary School on Aug. 25, which was the start of the new year for the Sioux City public school district. The spread of COVID-19 forced Sioux City and other schools in the tri-state region to suspend classes in the spring.
Jesse Brothers, Sioux City JournalIn early October, Sioux City hospitals began grappling with a growing second wave of COVID-19 patients and their administrators urged Siouxlanders to axe Thanksgiving celebrations with extended family members. The week of Nov. 9, Chad Markham, chief operating officer for St. Luke's, said hospitalizations were matching the spring surge.
"Any kind of gathering puts us at higher risk. I think it's time to reconsider and rethink those plans and, frankly, cancel them," he said.
Beth Hughes, president of MercyOne Western Iowa Region, said the downtown Sioux City hospital was seeing an increase in hospitalizations, but she said it hadn't quite reached the level of the spring surge. She acknowledged that hospital staff were tired, and, she implored the public to wear masks, social distance and avoid gatherings.
On Nov. 16, Reynolds announced additional COVID-19 mitigation measures, including requiring mask wearing when people are in an indoor public space and unable to social distance for 15 minutes or longer. Initially, Scott didn't think local authorities would be ticketing non-compliers. But, three days later, he said Sioux City Police officers would start issuing citations to individuals and businesses who failed to voluntarily comply.

Tracy Larson, chief nursing officer, left, administers the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to critical care nurse Mary Jones, on Dec. 17 at MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center in Sioux City. Front line health care workers were the first to receive the vaccine.
Jesse Brothers, Sioux City JournalSiouxland District Health Department Director Kevin Grieme made the long-awaited announcement on Dec. 14 that Woodbury County was slated to receive 1,950 doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in the coming days, signaling light at the end of the tunnel. At the time, Woodbury County had 11,481 total cases of the virus and 145 COVID-19-related deaths, according to Iowa Department of Public Health statistics.
"Hopefully, some of (the vaccine) will be in Sioux City tomorrow and we'll start to give shots, hopefully, and maybe see this thing subside," Scott said during a City Council meeting later that day. "What a tragedy. We've (lost) over 300,000 lives in this country. It's just terribly unfortunate that we couldn't have done something quicker."
That Thursday, Joseph Liewer, medical director for emergency medicine at MercyOne, and Mary Jones, a critical care nurse, were the first of the hospital's employees to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. St. Luke's also began administering some of the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Woodbury County to its frontline medical providers.
"I think the public should trust that it's gone through the rigorous analysis that it has. I think it's safe, and I encourage people to get it as soon as they can," Liewer said moments after receiving the vaccine.
More year-end coverage inside
2020 Year in Review, a 24-page special section that chronicles this year's top stories in Siouxland and around the country.Â
Entire page of The Journal's top photos of 2020. A6
The Journal's top sports stories of 2020. B1
The Journal's top business stories of the year. B7Â
Coming next
Check back in print and siouxcityjournal.com on Jan. 3 as the Journal reveals its Newsmaker of the Year.
Top 10 stories
The Journal's Top 10 stories for 2020, as voted on by newsroom staff
No. 1: COVID-19's impact on Siouxland
No. 2: Election 2020 in SiouxlandÂ
No. 3: Steve King defeat in GOP primary
No. 4: Approval of new Woodbury County jail
No. 5: Local demonstrations for police reform
No. 6: Completion of major downtown project
No. 7: Approval of Ho-Chunk's casino gambling measureÂ
No. 8: Four guilty murder verdicts in Siouxland
No. 9: Iowa's Democratic presidential caucusesÂ
No. 10: Ups and downs of local unemploymentÂ
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Dolly Butz
City Government & Features Reporter
Butz, a Drake University graduate, has been at the Journal since 2005, covering a variety of beats, including public safety, health care and city government. She has won state and national awards, primarily for coverage of addiction and mental health.
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