May 18, 2022 - COVID

Des Moines may mask back up, mayor says

Jason Clayworth

An illustration of a mask. — Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

Des Moines may reinstate a mask policy if cases continue to escalate, Mayor Frank Cownie warned during a council work session Tuesday.

Driving the news: Iowa averaged around 505 new COVID cases per day in the last week, according to The New York Times tracker. That's more than double the average two weeks ago.

Deaths in that time have increased by 16%, with a daily average of three, as of Tuesday. Hospitalizations are averaging 132 a day, up 55%.

Zoom in: Polk County reported a seven-day average of 105 new cases on Tuesday, up by 159% from two weeks ago.

Flashback: The latest uptick is nowhere near the numbers documented in January, when the highest daily average of new cases hit 5,486 statewide and 1,072 in Polk County.

When Des Moines' municipal masking ended on Feb. 28, Iowa was averaging around 474 new daily cases, and Polk County about 101, per the Times.

Yes, but: It's unclear how large the latest coronavirus wave actually is, partly because current counts don't include at-home results.

Two gauges — hospitalizations and deaths — are still far below those seen in December and January.
The community level of COVID-19 in Polk County is still considered low, according to the CDC.

What's next: Cownie directed city staff to continue monitoring case counts.

Be smart: Americans can now order up to eight additional free coronavirus tests from the federal government online.

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Des Moines may mask back up, mayor says

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