FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 31, 2020
CONTACT: press@iowademocrats.org
Trump and Reynolds Ignore Reality While Iowa Becomes Worst COVID-19 Hotspot in the Country As Schools, Colleges Reopen
Iowa has the worst outbreak of COVID-19 in the nation as GOP leaders continue to neglect CDC guidance, health and safety of Iowans
DES MOINES — As of this morning, Iowa is officially the most dangerous COVID-19 hotspot in the country: Ames and Iowa City are home to the two worst coronavirus outbreaks in any metro area and Iowa has the highest rate of spread per capita of any state in the nation. Despite this glaring spike in cases, Trump and Reynolds are plowing ahead with forced school reopenings across the state.
The data shows cases in Iowa are only continuing to surge at an alarming pace, but GOP leaders still adamantly refuse to follow CDC best practices or issue a mask mandate. Although Reynolds ordered bars to shut down in six counties with only a handful of hours notice last Thursday, local school districts are still being forced to forego their plans and open full-time in person without any mask requirement whatsoever.
Making matters worse, Senator Joni Ernst and Washington Republicans have blocked billions in critical funding for K-12 education to support virtual learning, improve in-school sanitation, and expand transportation to ensure social distancing. Instead of doing her job, Senator Ernst played partisan games with the health of educators and students, and left Washington without taking action.
“Trump and Reynolds’ dangerous negligence and mishandling of the pandemic are to blame for Iowa’s new status as the state with the worst coronavirus outbreak in the country,” said Iowa Democratic Party spokesperson Samantha Kennedy. “Now, students and teachers are forced to go back to school in dangerous conditions and without bare-minimum safety measures like a mask mandate. This puts entire communities at risk, but the GOP would rather follow Trump’s inaction than put the health and safety of Iowans first.”