Gov. Kim Reynolds warns of a 'difficult' week ahead for coronavirus deaths in Iowa
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds closed more businesses and public spaces Monday as she predicted an “equally, if not more difficult,” week of the coronavirus taking its toll on the state.
Three more Iowans were reported to have died of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus, Monday, bringing Iowa's total deaths to 25. An additional 78 Iowans tested positive for COVID-19, bringing total cases to 946. Medical professionals warn that the infection rate is likely much higher than the positive diagnoses because of limited testing.
"I want to acknowledge that the last week has been especially hard," Reynolds said at her news conference Monday, acknowledging that 444 of Iowa's COVID-19 cases and 16 of the deaths occurred then. "Unfortunately, we expect this week will be equally, if not more, difficult.”
► More:The latest on the coronavirus outbreak in Iowa
Reynolds also closed additional businesses and public spaces — including malls, pool halls and bowling alleys, libraries, playgrounds and campgrounds — Monday, because they’ve still been gathering spots, despite restrictions meant to curb the spread of the disease. Reynolds already had recommended schools close, and ordered dine-in restaurants and bars, barbershops and more to close or change how they do business. She has also instituted a 10-person limit on public gatherings. The restrictions are all in place until at least April 30.
"I'm not hesitant to add as we feel necessary," Reynolds said. "As we see people gathering — as we take a look at what some of the nonessential activities may be — then we'll add them to the list."
Violating Reynolds' existing orders can lead to a simple misdemeanor, which can carry a fine of up to $625 and up to 30 days in jail. The citation would be a last resort for pressing groups to disperse, Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan K. Bayens said at Monday's news conference.
“Most Iowans are being responsible and doing their part," Bayens said. "It is only a small segment that is throwing caution to the wind and ignoring the limitations on social gatherings. That small segment, however, can have an enormous impact on public health.”
No region has hit shelter-in-place threshold
Reynolds has stopped short of issuing a blanket shelter-in-place order, considered among the most restrictive orders to limit travel, to either all or portions of the state.
Dr. Caitlin Pedati, the state's medical director and epidemiologist, worked with a team epidemiologists to develop a 12-point scale for determining when Iowa should adopt tighter restrictions, including a shelter-in-place order. It weighs age, hospitalization rate, population and outbreaks in long-term care facilities. The state is broken into six regions, based on health care resources. None of the regions had hit the threshold for more restrictions Monday.
The scale calls for a shelter-in-place order if a region is a 10 on the scale. The southeast region, which includes Iowa City, registered a 9 on the scale Monday, up from a 7 on Friday. The northeast region, which includes Cedar Rapids, and the south-central region, which includes Des Moines, are each at 8, up from a 7 and a 6, respectively.
► More:Science behind Iowa's coronavirus shelter-in-place metrics remains a mystery
Of the confirmed spread in Iowa, 10% of the cases and 48% of the deaths involve either residents or staff at long-term care facilities, officials reported Monday. In Linn County, 71 of the county's 175 cases are related to an outbreak at a long-term-care facility. Linn County is home to Heritage Specialty Care, identified by Reynolds’ office last week as the source of an "outbreak," which is defined by the state as when three or more of a facility's residents have tested positive for the disease.
Sarah Reisetter, deputy director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, said Monday the state still expects the virus to peak within two weeks.
From the State Emergency Operations Center in Johnston, Reynolds said that there are additional outbreaks at long-term care facilities in Washington and Tama counties, in addition to the Cedar Rapids facility.
“Every Iowan has a responsibility to keep our families, friends and communities safe, especially our most vulnerable and our health care workers, who are serving on the front lines of this crisis,” Reynolds said. “They don’t have the luxury of staying home. These heroes among us are putting their fears aside and showing up to take care of us. And we need to do our part by taking care of them.”
► More:Updated COVID-19 maps and charts track cases and data in Iowa and across the U.S.
Parks still open; malls unsure on details
State parks, preserves and forests remain open for daytime use, and Reynolds encouraged Iowans to “enjoy outdoor activities responsibly.”
“Get outside,” she said Monday. “It’s important for your physical and mental well-being. But, again, maintain social distancing.”
Social media posts over the weekend showed Iowans taking advantage of sunny weather to crowd places such as Saylorville Lake and Ledges State Park.
Mall operators were unsure how the order to close malls would affect restaurants and essential businesses still operating within.
The new proclamation orders that "all enclosed malls shall be closed, including interior common areas and any retail establishment that (is) only accessible to the public from the interior common areas. A retail establishment that may be directly accessed from outside the mall is not required to close by this paragraph."
Since late March, Valley West Commons has permitted limited public access to the mall's interior. A security guard posted at the door allowed entrance only for the two eyeglass stores or the hearing aid clinic inside the mall. All other retailers and restaurants without exterior entrances were closed.
Trisha Barton, director of marketing and communications for Valley West, said she did not know if the eyeglass and hearing aid stores would need to close under the new proclamation. Barton said she had reached out to the governor's office for more information but had not yet heard back.
"Even though LensCrafters is right there next to the (mall) entrance, they do not have an exterior entrance," Barton said. "It gets a bit tricky for us."
Randy Tennison, general manager of the Jordan Creek Town Center, said his team was also unsure exactly what the order meant for its interior restaurants. The Chick-Fil-A in the mall’s food court, for instance, offers curbside pick-up but does not have an exterior entrance.
The Target anchor store at the Merle Hay Mall, which is classified as essential because of its grocery offerings, remains open. Restaurants operating within the Merle Hay food court and the mall’s management office could not be reached for comment.
Lists of new, previous closures
The full list of closed businesses, taking effect as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, now includes:
- Malls
- Tobacco or vaping stores
- Toy, gaming, music, instrument, movie or adult entertainment stores
- Social and fraternal clubs, including those at golf courses
- Bingo halls, bowling alleys, pool halls, arcades and amusement parks
- Museums, libraries, aquariums and zoos
- Race tracks and speedways
- Roller or ice skating rinks and skate parks
- Outdoor or indoor playgrounds or children’s play centers
- Campgrounds
Also prohibited are unsolicited door-to-door sales.
Golf courses are still allowed open, provided they implement social distancing practices.
The closures join the following that were already closed by the governor’s proclamation:
- Restaurants and bars limited to carry-out
- Fitness centers and swimming pools
- Salons and barbershops
- Medical spas
- Tattoo parlors
- Tanning facilities
- Massage therapy establishments
- Theaters
- Casinos
- Nonessential retail stores, including bookstores, clothing and accessory stores, beauty supply stores, florists and home furnishing stores. All are still able to operate online and offer delivery and curbside pickup.
- Senior citizen centers and adult day care facilities
- Livestock auctions of food animals with more than 25 people
- All other gatherings of 10 or more people, including religious and community gatherings, parades, festivals, conventions and fundraisers
Over the weekend, the state announced the federal government will send about $44 million to help with coronavirus expenses.
On Friday, two groups of Iowa doctors and health care professionals asked Reynolds to issue a mandatory order for Iowans to stay home to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The Iowa Board of Medicine on Friday voted unanimously to recommend that Reynolds issue a so-called shelter-in-place order. The vote follows a similar request made days earlier by the Iowa Medical Society, a group made up of more than 6,300 physicians, residents and medical students in the state.
Both the Iowa Board of Medicine and the Iowa Medical Society's Board of Directors want Reynolds to effectively limit Iowans' movements to essential work and travel to address the growing cases of COVID-19.
She did not call her new orders Monday a shelter-in-place decree.
Nick Coltrain is a politics and data reporter for the Register. Reach him at ncoltrain@registermedia.com or at 515-284-8361. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal.