Governor Kim Reynolds.
As Covid-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations sharply rise in Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds is purchasing another 360,000 test kits from a Utah company for the state’s free “Test Iowa” sites. Reynolds said the state’s current supply should last through December 11.
“Today, Test Iowa are back open after being closed for Veterans Day,” Reynolds said, “and each site has added 200 more appointments to their daily schedules.”
Finding an opening for a test is difficult statewide, through both the state-run Test Iowa program as well as privately-run testing operations. Reynolds said officials are looking at ways to expand the number of tests the Iowa Hygienic Lab is able to process daily.
“I’m proud of how we’ve continued to expand testing and we’re not going to stop,” she said. “We’ll continue to look for opportunities to do that.”
Neither the governor nor her staff have yet confirmed how much the state is spending for a second batch of Covid test kits. The first 540,000 cost $26 million.
More than 4500 new Covid cases are reported in the state today along with 30 more deaths. Health officials say about two-percent of all Iowans currently have the virus.
The Iowa Board of Health met today and passed a resolution recommending that Reynolds issue a statewide mask mandate.