CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Linn County’s board of directors this morning voted two-to-one in favor of mandating masks in the county’s facilities. This step is all you can do as Governor Reynolds bans Iowa school districts, counties, and cities from enforcing masking requirements anywhere else.
The requirement takes effect on Monday. “People are getting sick and Covid is growing again,” said supervisor Stacey Walker. “This is a tool in our tool kit that was left to us after the state legislature took action to remove local scrutiny.”
Walker says he doesn’t know how long the mandate will last. “It’s really up to the people in the church,” he said. “If people get their vaccine and mask themselves and do good health advice, we’ll get out of this.” Supervisor Louie Zumbach was the only one to vote against the mandate. “I think the majority of my voters probably believe that I will call myself control and take care of myself,” he said. “Do I think they’ll stand outside and protest? No.”
Linn County has recently started requiring masks in public buildings regardless of their vaccination status. Iowa City made that decision Thursday, and Cedar Rapids announced earlier this week that people in city buildings will be required to wear masks.
Several groups have urged Governor Reynolds to lift their ban on the mask mandate. The sit-in “Safe at School” will take place on Wednesday in the state capital. You are a group of parents who want a mask mandate.
“I think our state has to protect Iowa, and we have to do it now,” said Julie Russel Steuart of the Disability Caucus of the Democratic Party of Iowa. “Because we can see what’s coming. An upswing. “
In a statement sent to KCRG-TV9, Governor Reynolds said, “The vaccine remains our most powerful tool in fighting COVID-19, so we will continue to encourage everyone to receive the vaccine. I am proud that we recently passed new laws that will protect Iowans from unnecessary government mandates in our schools and local governments. Like me during this pandemic, I trust Iowans is doing the right thing and making the decisions about what’s best for you and your family. “
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