RIGHT NOW. [KCCI CAPTIONING IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE IOWA CLINIC] STEVE: FIRST AT 5:00, THE MASK MANDATE IN THE CITY OF DES MOINES IS OVER. STACEY: THE CITY ANNOUNCED TODAY, IT IS FOLLOWING THE NEW GUIDANCE FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, AND IS ENDING ITS FACE COVERING REQUIREMENT. KCCI SENIOR REPORTER TODD MAGEL SPOKE WITH THE MAYOR SHORTLY AFTER THE DECISION WAS MADE. TODD? TODD: THE STACEY AND STEVE, THE MAYOR SAYS IT WAS A TOUGH DECISION, AND ONE THAT AFFECTS JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY WHO LIVES HERE IN DES MOINES. WE CAME TO THE EAST VILLAGE TODAY AND BUSINESS OWNERS MUST NOW DECIDE HOW TO DEAL WITH CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED AND WHO ARE NOT WEARING MASKS. AND NOW, CUSTOMERS MUST DECIDE IF THEY FEEL SAFE IN STORES, WHERE MASKS ARE NOT REQUIRED – AS THEY HAVE BEEN SINCE LAST SUMMER THE MAYOR SAYS SCIENCE SHOWS THE , COVID-19 VACCINE WORKS AND IS SAFE. SO, HE HOPES PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO WEAR MASKS, IF THEY ARE NOT VACCINATED. >> IF I WAS NOT ON THE AIR NOW, I WOULD STILL BE WEARING A MASK MYSELF. BUT I, WE, SET FROM THE BEGINNING, WE WOULD FOLLOW CDC GUIDELINES. SO WE ARE TRYING TO DO THAT. I KNOW THEY ARE HOPEFUL THAT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE UPFRONT AND HONEST, AND THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED ARE GOING TO WEAR A MASK. TODD: COMING UP TONIGHT AT 6:00, WE DID SOME SHOPPING HERE IN THE EAST VILLAGE AND TALKED WITH STORE OWNERS AND CUSTOMERS TO SEE HOW THEY WOULD DEAL
Iowa’s 7-day COVID-19 positivity rate dips below 3%
Updated: 10:02 AM CDT May 15, 2021
The Iowa Department of Public health on Saturday reported 242 new COVID-19 positive tests and one additional death.At 10 a.m., the health department reported 399,316 total positive tests, 354,537 total recoveries and 5,998 total deaths since the start of the pandemic. Twenty-four hours earlier, the health department reported 399,074 total positive tests and 5,997 total deaths.Iowa reports 2,569,640 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered and 1,241,273 individuals have completed the vaccine series.Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate is at 3.3%, and the 7-day average is now 2.9%. Health department data shows 4,946,070 total tests have been administered. There are now 147 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 151 the previous day. Iowa reports 42 patients in ICU and 19 patients on ventilators.One of Iowa’s long-term care facilities report an active COVID-19 outbreak. The health department reports ten positive cases and zero recoveries among residents and staff within those facilities. The state reports 2,334 care facility deaths since the pandemic began.The Iowa Department of Public Health offers virus data in real-time on this website. KCCI publishes a daily summary based on the data reported at 10 a.m.
DES MOINES, Iowa —
The Iowa Department of Public health on Saturday reported 242 new COVID-19 positive tests and one additional death.
At 10 a.m., the health department reported 399,316 total positive tests, 354,537 total recoveries and 5,998 total deaths since the start of the pandemic. Twenty-four hours earlier, the health department reported 399,074 total positive tests and 5,997 total deaths.
Iowa reports 2,569,640 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered and 1,241,273 individuals have completed the vaccine series.
Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate is at 3.3%, and the 7-day average is now 2.9%. Health department data shows 4,946,070 total tests have been administered.
There are now 147 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 151 the previous day. Iowa reports 42 patients in ICU and 19 patients on ventilators.
One of Iowa’s long-term care facilities report an active COVID-19 outbreak. The health department reports ten positive cases and zero recoveries among residents and staff within those facilities. The state reports 2,334 care facility deaths since the pandemic began.
The Iowa Department of Public Health offers virus data in real-time on this website. KCCI publishes a daily summary based on the data reported at 10 a.m.