Governor

Gov. Kim Reynolds has criticized the CDC's new guidance recommending people in counties with substantial to high COVID-19 community transmission wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

A Des Moines voting-rights activist and small business owner made the first stop of her statewide listening tour after launching an exploratory committee to consider running for governor Monday. Her first conversation was with Des Moines area small business owners.

Gov. Kim Reynolds said the state did not need $95 million from the federal government for COVID-19 testing in schools and said the state is increasing its outreach to encourage Iowans to get vaccinated.

The Iowa Department of Human Services has announced Elizabeth Matney will lead the state's Medicaid program starting June 1.

The single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is considered especially useful for those who may have trouble getting to a follow up vaccine appointment, but the vaccine has been on pause for the past week, and it's disrupted clinics targeting some of Iowa's most vulnerable residents - those without a home.

Gov. Kim Reynolds said she expects the temporary pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to be manageable for Iowa.

Following federal recommendations, the Iowa Department of Public Health has advised all COVID-19 vaccine administrators to temporarily halt the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine effective immediately.

Gov. Kim Reynolds said at a press briefing Wednesday that she opposes the use of COVID-19 vaccine passports.

Iowa is opening up COVID-19 vaccine appointments to all eligible adults on April 5, meaning thousands more Iowans will have access to the vaccine. This should move the state closer to herd immunity and the return to some normalcy, but some Iowans say they don’t want to get vaccinated.

Iowa’s Latino commission members work for hours every month to give the governor insight into their community. At the end of each year, they list multiple proposals to solve problems Latinos in the state face. But they say their recommendations seem to fall through the cracks of government.