Reynolds to allow some businesses in 77 counties, including Chickasaw, to re-open

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday that she will allow restaurants, fitness centers, churches, retail stores and malls will be able to reopen this Friday in 77 Iowa counties, including Chickasaw, although they can only operate at 50 percent capacity.
She said other businesses and facilities — including hair salons, bars, campgrounds and most entertainment centers — will remain closed through May 15 because of the Corornavirus COVID-19, and even with the businesses that will reopen, she emphasized that Iowans still need to practice social distancing.
During her daily press conference, Reynolds said Iowa must kick-start its economy again.
“However, this level of mitigation is not sustainable for the long term,” Reynolds said, “and it has unintended consequences for Iowa families so we must gradually shift from an aggressive mitigation strategy to focusing on containing and managing virus activity for the long term.”
She said Iowans must work together they can “protect lives and secure livelihoods at the same time.”
The businesses that can choose to reopen include:
• Restaurants, fitness centers and retail stores can operate at 50 percent of normal operating capacity.
• Malls also can open at 50 percent capacity, but they must keep play areas and other seating areas, like food courts, closed, although food courts will be allowed to be open on a “carry-out basis.”
• Spiritual and religious gatherings can be held, but they must adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Reynolds said COVID-19 isn’t going away until a vaccine is developed and she said if she has to, “we will dial things back. … we must learn to live with COVID virus activity without letting it govern our lives.”
In Northeast Iowa, Chickasaw, Floyd, Howard and Winneshiek counties will be allowed to take part in the reopening, but Bremer, Fayette and Allamakee counties are among the 22 counties in which virus activity remains high and will not be allowed to “reopen.”