Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation Monday allowing the reopening of some business types and lifting gathering requirements for certain counties beginning May 1.

    The proclamation applies to 77 counties in Iowa where COVID-19 activity remains lowest.

    The new guidelines do not apply to organizations in Washington County due to ongoing COVID-19 activity.

    “It’s important for residents and businesses in Washington County to remember COVID-19 is still spreading in our community,” said Danielle Pettit-Majewski, director of Washington County Public Health. “We aren’t out of the woods yet. There is still a lot of work to be done, so we need everyone to continue practicing social distancing and other public health recommendations to slow the spread of the virus.”

    You can do your part by staying home as much as possible, avoiding groups of people, only going out for essentials like groceries and medical care, and staying home if you’re sick.

    The proclamation does not apply to the counties of Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Dallas, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fayette, Henry, Iowa, Jasper, Johnson, Linn, Louisa, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Tama, Washington or Woodbury due to ongoing COVID-19 activity in those areas.

    Read the full proclamation here: https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/gov-reynolds-signs-new-proclamation-continuing-the-state-public-health-emergency-0