FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: 08/05/2021 Contact: Geoff Fruin, City Manager Phone: 319-356-5013
City again requires masks to be worn in public facilities to match updated CDC guidance
Following the latest guidance from the Johnson County Public Health Department, the City of Iowa City will now require all visitors to City facilities to wear a mask while inside the building. The new guidance comes as a protective measure against the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant throughout Iowa.
The City facility masking requirement will take effect Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.
Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance to help slow the spread of the Delta variant. The CDC recommended that those in areas of substantial or high transmission wear masks while indoors in public, whether they are vaccinated or unvaccinated.
The decision to require that masks be worn in City facilities was made for the health and safety of visitors to public facilities and for the staff who serve them. All City buildings remain open to the public with the mask policy in effect.
For those who choose to avoid entering City facilities, most business can be conducted online, via telephone, and by email. The drop box placed in the front lobby of City Hall will remain in place for utilities, as well as other documents and payments. The utility payment drop-off on the east side of City Hall remains available with drive-thru access off of South Van Buren Street.
The City will remain vigilant in monitoring the local and national public health situation and may change requirements. For more COVID-19 information, visit icgov.org/coronavirus.
