DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday she is considering whether to allow additional activities to resume as her current proclamation prohibiting social, community, recreational, leisure, and sporting gatherings and events of more than 10 people expires next week.
“We’re continuing to see positive trends and so were going to continue to monitor that and look for opportunities to continue to bring more businesses online,” she said.
While Reynolds recently allowed restaurants, fitness centers, malls, hair salons, barber shops, and tanning facilities to reopen with limits on close contact and customer volume, she continued the closure for many other businesses. Those businesses include bars, casinos, movie theaters, bingo halls, bowling alleys, pool halls, arcades and amusement parks.
Her proclamation expires May 27.
State health officials reported more than 300 new positive cases Tuesday and 12 additional deaths, bringing the state totals to 15,296 known positive cases and 367 deaths.
Reynolds also said she will ask the federal government for an extension of the order that allows National Guard troops to assist with state coronavirus response missions while being paid with federal funds. An initial extension in the order authorizes their assignment through June and Reynolds said she plans to seek extension possibly through the end of July.
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