Gov. Kim Reynolds hosted another press conference this (Friday) afternoon and announced one additional case of COVID-19 had been identified in Iowa. Due to how quickly circumstances can change, Reynolds said she will be hosting daily press conferences beginning next week.
Press conferences will be livestreamed via Facebook, a link to which is included below this story. Reynolds highlighted the steps taken at the state level to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on Iowans. In addition to her declaration of a State of Public Health Disaster Emergency, Reynolds is continuing to loosen regulations and restrictions during the pandemic. She has suspended penalties and interest related to property tax collections, tenant evictions, rules regarding public meetings and more. Iowa Workforce Development Director, Beth Townsend, said they are seeing a large increase in the number of unemployment claims being submitted from across the state.
Reynolds has created a taskforce to address the economic impact of the coronavirus. Iowans who have been laid off, were required to self-quarantine or otherwise impacted financially by the pandemic can potentially file for unemployment benefits, provided they meet the other eligibility requirements. Reynolds encourages Iowans returning from vacations or spring break to check CDC guidelines and follow their recommendations upon their return. Reynolds declined to provide an estimate of when the declared health emergency might end.
Reynolds added the more Iowans who comply with social distancing guidance from health officials, the faster the state will be able to return to normal. Links to the latest information on COVID-19 can be found included below.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH)
https://idph.iowa.gov/emerging-health-issues/novel-coronavirus
Carroll County Public Health
