© 2024 Iowa Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Ongoing Tower Work Impacting KUNI (90.9 FM)

Reynolds Says Updated CDC Guidance 'Counterproductive To Our Vaccination Efforts'

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Wednesday that all Iowans may be eligible for the vaccine on April 5 as long as the federal government increases supply as anticipated.
Natalie Krebs
/
IPR file
Gov. Kim Reynolds has criticized updated CDC guidance recommending people living in areas with substantial to high community spread wear masks indoors.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has released a statement calling the updated COVID-19 guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "not grounded in reality or common sense."

The CDC issued updated guidance on Tuesday recommending people in counties with substantial to high community transmission of COVID-19 wear masks indoors, even if they are fully vaccinated.

According to CDC data, 47 Iowa counties have substantial or high levels of community spread.

CDC officials said they made the decision as the highly-transmittable delta variant now dominates the U.S., predominantly affecting those who are unvaccinated.

Federal health officials are also recommending universal masking for all students, teachers, staff and visitors in schools regardless of community transmission levels or vaccination status.

In a statement, Reynolds called the updated guidance "counterproductive to our vaccination efforts" and said she’s concerned the new guidance could fuel mask mandates in schools across the country.

"I’m concerned that this guidance will be used as a vehicle to mandate masks in states and schools across the country, something I do not support," she said.

Iowa enacted a new law in May making it illegal for schools to require masks.

Reynolds defended the law in her statement.

“I am proud that we recently put new laws in place that will protect Iowans against unnecessary government mandates in our schools and local governments," she said. "As I have throughout this pandemic, I trust Iowans to do the right thing.”

The state’s vaccination numbers have plateaued in recent weeks.

According to the CDC, 58 percent of Iowans 12 and older are fully vaccinated with rates widely varying county-to-county.

Natalie Krebs is IPR's Health Reporter and collaborator with Side Effects Public Media. Krebs has expertise covering health news and issues, including maternal health and rural health care access. She's covered abortion access and women's health care in Iowa and the Midwest, news from Iowa's state health agencies, and medical care and health concerns for elders. Krebs is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.