Thought I was going to get some great news today but, not quite yet!
Some businesses in 77 of Iowa's 99 counties can begin operating again, with limited capacity, starting Friday.
The counties that can partially re-open either have no coronavirus activity or have seen a downward trend in positive cases over the past 14 days, said Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday. Statewide, the governor lifted restrictions on spiritual and religious gatherings as long as the church, synagogue or other "host" implements social distancing guidelines and increased sanitary cleaning.
The businesses that can operate in those 77 counties are:
- Restaurants, fitness centers, libraries, race tracks and retail stores can open at 50% operating capacity. Restaurants cannot have tables with more than six people, and all tables must be at least six feet apart. Restaurants cannot have buffets or other self-serve items.
- Malls can also open at 50% operating capacity, but must keep play areas and other common seating areas, such as food courts, closed; and
- Social, community, recreational and leisure sporting events can open with limits to 10 people.
Other businesses will remain closed through May 15 — two weeks after Reynolds' initial emergency proclamation closing businesses was set to expire.
So, in the WLLR listening area, Jones, Jackson, Cedar, and Clinton counties HAVE some restrictions eased.....but these counties are not included in the eased restrictions:
- Allamakee
- Benton
- Black Hawk
- Bremer
- Dallas
- Des Moines
- Dubuque
- Fayette
- Henry
- Iowa
- Jasper
- Johnson
- Linn
- Louisa
- Marshall
- Muscatine
- Polk
- Poweshiek
- Scott
- Tama
- Washington
- Woodbury