Iowa Governor Issues Mask Mandates For Specific Events/Businesses

During a Tuesday morning press conference, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced she's putting mask mandates into effect at specific businesses and events in the state.

Effective at 12:01 am Wednesday, November 11, the governor is putting a proclamation into effect (through November 30) that requires everyone to wear a mask at any indoor social, community, recreational, leisure, or sporting event with more than 25 people. The same goes for all those types of outdoor events with more than 100 people in attendance. It pertains to everyone over two years of age. Governor Reynolds also says that the maximum number of people that can attend such an event in a group is eight. That does not apply to households with more than eight people.

The governor also announced that only two spectators will be allowed per student or player at indoor youth and high school events. The Iowa High School Athletic Association is expected to announce plans for this week's semifinal football playoff games at the UNI-Dome later today, according to a tweet from KCRG's Mike O'Brien.

Governor Reynolds also says that both employees and customers of businesses that provide personal services must all wear masks. Those types of businesses include salons, tattoo establishments, barbershops, tanning facilities, and massage therapy establishments.

The 11 a.m. press conference was about an hour after the latest daily COVID-19 update from the Iowa Department of Public Health. In the 24 hours that ended at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 4,441 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Iowa. The number of people hospitalized in the state has reached a new high at 1,135, with 166 of those admitted in the last 24 hours. Twenty-seven more people passed away, bringing the total to 1,872.