Governor to recommend Iowa schools close for four weeks due to COVID-19 pandemic
Caitlin Yamada/ Iowa State Daily
Gov. Kim Reynolds delivering a speech at the 2020 Deterrence and Assurance Academic Alliance Workshop and Conference on March 11 in the Student Innovation Center.
March 15, 2020
Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the discovery of the “existence of substantial community spread of COVID-19” in Iowa and recommended Iowa schools close in a press release late March 15.
“Based on new information today from the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), now is the time to move to the next level of response,” Reynolds said in the release. “I am now recommending that all Iowa schools close for a period of four weeks to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
In a press conference on March 14, the governor said she would not recommend closing schools until there was “substantial community spread.” The state has reached that stage of the pandemic, according to the release.
The IDPH was notified of an additional four positive cases of Iowans with COVID-19 earlier on March 15, according to the release. That brings the total number of cases in the state to 22.
“According to IDPH, two cases are related to international travel,” according to the press release. “The individuals are residents of Allamakee County, one is a middle-age adult between 41-60 years; the other is a child, age 0-18 years. The third case is a middle-age Johnson County resident with no identified travel-related risk or exposure to a known COVID-19 case, and is considered the second case of community spread in Iowa. The fourth individual resides in Polk County and is a middle-age adult and indicates a third case of community spread.”
State officials expect the number of positive cases in the state to continue to rise and the governor will host a press conference tomorrow, according to the press release.
The governor has also taken other actions to help mitigate the spread of the disease.
“Also today, Gov. Reynolds signed a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency continuing the proclamation signed on March 9, allowing retailers that sell liquor, beer, wine, carbonated beverages, and other beverages with an Iowa beverage container deposit to stop accepting empty cans and bottles for the duration of this disaster emergency,” according to the release.
