The Iowa Public Health Association published an open letter to Iowa legislators on Jan. 14. The group highlighted that “we are still in the midst of a pandemic that has, at the time of writing, cost 4,251 Iowan lives.”
“By the time you read this, that number will have grown and more families will be mourning the loss of cherished loved ones,” the letter says. “We are concerned at the lack of protections from COVID-19 by not requiring masks of legislators, staff and visitors.”
The “evidence,” the association says, is “clear that masks are a critical component of a comprehensive mitigation strategy.”
“There is no rationale for the State Capitol to be excluded from Gov. Reynolds’ proclamation “…that all people two or older must wear a mask or other face covering when inside an indoor space that is open to the public…’ We are gravely concerned about events at the Capitol contributing to the spread of the pandemic and ask for your leadership in setting the tone that while free speech will not be suppressed, public health precautions must be taken.”
