5 years later: How COVID changed Iowa
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A woman at the Iowa State Fair in 2021. The fair was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Five years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nearly every aspect of daily life, forcing shifts in public health policy, remote work, education and the agriculture industry — one of Iowa's economic cornerstones.
Why it matters: Reflection can help us evaluate and prepare for possible future pandemics.
Flashback: President Trump declared COVID a nationwide emergency during his first term on March 13, 2020, issuing travel bans due to public health concerns.
- Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered the closure of many Iowa businesses and limited social gatherings to 10 people or fewer five years ago this week. About a month later she ended in-person schooling for the rest of the academic year.
- Vaccines were made available in December 2020 as pandemic restrictions eased.
By the numbers: Nearly 11,000 Iowans have died from COVID-19 since 2020.
- The state's unemployment rate spiked to around 12% in April 2020 before rebounding below 3%.
- Iowans, their governments, businesses and organizations received about $17 billion in federal pandemic relief.
Zoom in: Health care was among the hardest hit, with hospitals and nursing homes facing severe staffing shortages, leading to expanded telehealth services and new recruitment incentives.
- Remote work gained acceptance while many service sector jobs struggled to return to pre-pandemic levels.
- Schools grappled with learning gaps caused by extended remote learning, prompting investments in broadband infrastructure and tutoring programs.
- The agricultural industry sustained billions of dollars in damage, including temporary closures of meatpacking plants over concerns for worker safety.
State of play: Businesses are still navigating workplace changes, with companies like Principal Financial Group in late 2023 requiring many employees to return to the office at least partially.
- Pandemic-related distrust continues, with Iowa lawmakers this year briefly considering a bill that would have prohibited the administration of mRNA vaccines like those used to fight COVID-19.
- DSM's office vacancy rates remain below pre-pandemic levels.
Yes, but: Foot traffic downtown has been increasing in recent months and nearly 1,200 housing units are planned for the area over the next two years, Renae Mauk, Greater DSM Partnership's vice president of development, tells Axios.
What they're saying: Workplace flexibility since the pandemic has been "a win-win" for some employers, with many recognizing the importance of in-person collaborations in transitioning to more back-to-office time, partnership CEO Tiffany Tauscheck tells Axios.
What's next: DART is working on a public transportation redesign, partly due to changing travel patterns since the pandemic, spokesperson Sarah Welch tells Axios.
- Ridership is now at about 80% of its pre-pandemic peak, with people traveling more throughout the day instead of at peak morning and afternoon times, she said.
