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U.S. Congresswoman Cindy Axne

As hundreds of cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed with at least seven deaths reported in Iowa, the U.S. Representative for its third district is urging Governor Kim Reynolds to issue a stay-at-home order to help protect the health and safety of Iowans.

Congresswoman Cindy Axne wrote a letter to Governor Reynolds Monday that cites recent predictions by the Iowa Department of Public Health of a nearing “first peak” of COVID-19 cases and the extension of nationwide social distancing guidance as reasons for needing this new statewide mandate. The Governor has stated in a recent press conference that a stay-at-home order wouldn’t make a difference in slowing the number of cases, and Axne recognizes the steps the state has taken so far, “This may have been working for what we’re seeing right now but as we continue to show infections throughout the state I don’t think it’s going to protect us at the level that we need to. I don’t believe that just looking at previous data from the day before or the week before is the best way to calculate this. We also need to look at other states, what they’ve seen, learn from them as well as other countries and take that calculation into consideration as well.”

Axne stated in her letter that by not employing “every tool in our arsenal” to slow the spread of the virus, they risk elongating the time that schools, businesses, and flagship events will have to remain closed. You can hear more from Axne during today’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County program on air and at raccoonvalleyradio.com.