A report prepared for the White House Cornavirus Task Force suggests Iowa is among 18 states where rising infection rates should prompt new restrictions.
The internal documents were first obtained by The Center for Public Integrity. Five Iowa counties are in what the analysis refers to as a “red zone” where 10 percent or more of those undergoing testing are confirmed to have the virus. Those counties are Sioux, Osceola, Webster, Franklin and Clarke Counties. The recommendation is that bars and gyms be closed in those counties and social gatherings be limited to 10 or fewer people.
The report uses the phrase “yellow zone” to describe the spread of COVID in 42 other Iowa counties. The recommendation is that face coverings be required in public places in the zed and yellow zone areas, which cover 47 of Iowa’s 99 counties.
On Monday, Governor Kim Reynolds called on Iowans to “take personal responsibility” and voluntarily wear face coverings in public.
The Center for Public Integrity posted the unpublished ‘Red Zone’ report, which was dated July 14, on its website.