• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Saturday, September 30, 2023
The Iowa Torch
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
The Iowa Torch
The Iowa Torch
No Result
View All Result
Home State Government

Reynolds Says She Won’t Mandate COVID-19 Vaccine

Gov. Kim Reynolds said that she would not mandate the COVID-19 vaccine stating that decision would be left up to private employers.

Shane Vander HartbyShane Vander Hart
March 31, 2021
in State Government
Reading Time: 2 mins read
ADVERTISEMENT

DES MOINES, Iowa – Gov. Kim Reynolds said that she would not mandate the COVID-19 vaccine during her press conference on Wednesday.

RELATED POSTS

Reynolds announces a state budget surplus of $1.83 Billion

Pate, county auditors urge Iowans to seek trusted sources for election information

Reynolds, Governors demand ‘honest, accurate’ information about relocated illegal immigrants.

She was asked by a reporter why she is not requiring state workers or long-term care facility staff to get the vaccine.

“I’m saying is we still have a limited supply, (we’ve) opened it up. People have the opportunity to get the vaccine, and we’re going to continue to encourage them to do that,” Reynolds answered.

“Not going to make it a mandate, that will be a decision by private employers,” she added and later added that 60 percent of long-term care facility staff in private facilities have been vaccinated.

Reynolds also reported that 1.52 million doses of vaccine have been administered to eligible Iowans over the age of 18. She added that the state’s 6 percent administration rate ranks Iowa fifth in the nation. She added that 40 percent of Iowans, 18 and older, have received at least one dose of the vaccine, putting Iowa in 17th place nationally.

Reynolds also reported 85 percent of Iowans 65-years-of age or older are vaccinated. She added that 603,000 Iowans are fully vaccinated, around 25 percent of the population, ranking Iowa in 7th place nationally for people completely vaccinated.

She stressed how important it is for Iowans to be vaccinated for COVID-19 with new studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention being released demonstrating its efficacy.

“Knowing that the vaccine performs as expected when put to the test under real-life conditions provides even more substantial evidence of the benefits of vaccination especially for working-age adults according to the CDC. The study reinforces its recommendation that all eligible Iowans should be fully immunized,” Reynolds said.

ADVERTISEMENT

“For months we held on to hope that a vaccine would eventually be available and that it would make it possible to get life back to normal and I think we all can say that time is now vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. And it’s what will allow us to fully return to living our lives in the ways that we value the most,” she added.

She pointed out that if the state continues on its current daily administration rate, 75 percent of Iowans will be vaccinated by July 2. That depends, she noted, on the allocation of vaccine that the state receives.

Positive cases have increased in the state, and according to Kelly Garcia, interim director of the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), that is largely due to spring break travel and a number of variant strains of the coronavirus circulating the state. According to IDPH, the state’s positivity rate for the past 14 days is 4.7 percent, and 4.5 percent in the last seven days. Statewide there are only 191 patients hospitalized due to COVID-19.

Listen to the full press conference below:

Tags: COVID-19Iowa Department of PublicIowa PBSKelly GarciaKim Reynolds
ShareTweetShare
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Miller Backs Biofuels Industry in Supreme Court Case

Next Post

Windschitl: Narrowing Our Focus

Shane Vander Hart

Shane Vander Hart

Shane Vander Hart is the editor of The Iowa Torch.

Related Posts

Reynolds signs bill phasing in 3.9 percent flat tax
Opinion

Hendrickson: Reynolds wants more tax cuts

September 28, 2023
State Government

Reynolds announces a state budget surplus of $1.83 Billion

September 28, 2023
Reynolds, GOP Governors Press Biden on Border Crisis
State Government

Reynolds, Governors demand ‘honest, accurate’ information about relocated illegal immigrants.

September 20, 2023
Study: $1,702 Collected in Property Taxes Per Capita in Iowa
Local Government

New report says Iowa’s property taxes are 10th highest in U.S.

September 14, 2023
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa.
Opinion

Schmitt: Strong Women Leaders Work For Iowa. They Can Work For America Too.

September 13, 2023
State Government

Reynolds on new COVID restrictions: ‘Not on my watch’

August 30, 2023
Next Post
Windschitl: Protecting Iowans’ Second Amendment Rights

Windschitl: Narrowing Our Focus

Iowa Allocates $15 million in CARES Funds to Broadband Programs

Iowa House Passes Bill Aimed at Reducing State's 'Broadband Deserts'

Sign-Up For Our Daily Updates

Get The Iowa Torch right in your inbox!

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

Recommended Articles

Grassley: Big Victories for Rural Healthcare

Grassley: Biden Administration Likes an Open Border

June 30, 2021
Grassley Questions Attorney General Garland Over School Board Violence Memo

Grassley says whistleblower reports reveal double standard at DOJ, FBI

July 26, 2022
Ernst confronts Biden nominee over insulting tweet

Ernst confronts Biden nominee over insulting tweet

April 8, 2022

Popular Stories

  • gray electric car parked on a charging bay

    Miller-Meeks: Putting the brakes on Biden, protecting Americans’ vehicle choice

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • New ad features DeSantis plan for southern border

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Iowa Schools Now Required to Lead Students in Pledge of Allegiance

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Pate, county auditors urge Iowans to seek trusted sources for election information

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Hinson: Make Washington Work Again

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

The Iowa Torch

The Iowa Torch​ is a for-profit, news organization that focuses on political news as it relates to Iowans

Categories

  • Education
  • Federal Government
  • Iowa History
  • Local Government
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • State Government
  • Uncategorized
  • Uncategorized

Newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.