DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds planned to give her daily briefing Monday, May 18 at 11 a.m., after Iowa opened more of its businesses statewide.
Before May 15, nonessential businesses in 22 of Iowa's 99 counties remained mostly shuttered. Businesses that were allowed to remain open had strict guidelines on serving customers to preserve their health and safety during the coronavirus pandemic.
As Davenport, Iowa started to reopen, the city council decided to allow businesses to use sidewalks for additional seating to help them meet their service needs.
Businesses that did reopen on Friday were made to keep their business at 50% capacity.
On Monday, Gov. Reynolds said more than 100,000 Iowans had been tested for COVID-19; that's about 1 in every 31 people.
Data as of Sunday, May 17 showed that the state had seen 14,955 positive cases total. The recovery rate stands at 49%, with 7,324 recovered.
It's been 18 days since Iowa reported its highest number of new cases.
"We continue to trend in the right direction," said Governor Reynolds, "further validating that the time is right to move into the recovery phase and begin reopening Iowa."
The death toll, however, has risen to 355 for the whole state.
Monday, May 18 marks 11 weeks since the first case of COVID-19 hit Iowa.
For those with questions about COVID-19, the number "211" is available for phone calls. The line is staffed with nurses who can answer questions about the virus, preventative measures, and business reopenings.
