FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: 08/19/2021 Contact: Bruce Teague, Mayor
Mayor issues new mask order for City of Iowa City
Mayor Bruce Teague has issued an order that, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the spread of the Delta variant, every person in the City of Iowa City must wear a face covering when in a public space.
The order will take effect at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. The order will expire on Sept. 30, 2021, unless otherwise extended.
Every person in the City of Iowa City must wear a face covering that covers their nose and mouth when in a public place as follows:
In public, as opposed to being in one’s place of residence, when one cannot stay six (6) feet away from others
Inside any indoor public settings, for example, but not limited to:
Grocery stores
Pharmacies
Hardware stores
Retail stores
Restaurants and bars
Public school buildings
Government buildings
University of Iowa academic buildings and business offices
Houses of worship
Movie theaters
Outside, if keeping six feet away from others is not possible
Using public transportation or private car service (including taxis, ride share, or carpooling)
The order states that Chapter 364 of the Iowa Code reaffirms the constitutional grant of home rule authority to municipalities “to exercise any power and perform any function it deems appropriate to protect and preserve the rights, privileges and property of the city or its residents, and improve the peace, safety, health, welfare and convenience of its residents.”
