Reynolds Announces Stricter Stay At Home Orders

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is ordering residents in northeastern Iowa to stay home for everything but work and essential errands amid growing concern about coronavirus outbreaks at meatpacking plants and nursing homes. Reynolds said Thursday that she is banning nearly all gatherings for social, community, recreational and leisure purposes in the region that includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo and Dubuque. Previously, the governor banned gatherings larger than 10 people statewide while recommending even stricter voluntary social distancing. Under the new order, Reynolds said residents in the region can only gather with household members, with few exceptions, and must do everything possible to socially distance in public. Violating the order is a simple misdemeanor .Reynolds confirmed the state suspects an outbreak at a second large Tyson Foods meatpacking plant. She said the state was sending supplies to test workers at the Waterloo facility.