DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Wednesday defended her actions to open restaurants and other businesses in a majority of Iowa counties that have reported few coronavirus cases.
Reynolds was questioned at her daily news conference about why she moved to open business in 77 counties and allow resumption of farmers markets and church services statewide. She took the action even as a group of University of Iowa professors warned that reopening business now could cause a second wave of infections and possibly a “catastrophic loss of life.”
Reynolds said the professors were presenting a model that was a snapshot in time and that improved testing and mitigation efforts have changed the Iowa outcome. The state has successfully prevented hospitals from being overwhelmed, Reynolds said, and has flattened the potential impact of the virus pandemic in Iowa.
She said 90 percent of Iowa cases are confined to 22 counties that still have restrictions.
“That is how were going to have to manage COVID-19 as we move forward’,” she said. “I didn’t just rip the Band-Aid off or flip the light switch. We’re doing it in a reasonable phased-in approach.”
Health officials reported 467 new cases Wednesday for a total of more than 6,843 in Iowa. An additional 12 people died, increasing the total to 148 deaths.
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