Cedar Rapids again to require staff, visitors wear masks in public facilities

City requirement takes effect Monday; Linn County to ‘strongly recommend’ mask-wearing in public facilities

Jul. 15, 2022 2:28 pm

Face masks

CEDAR RAPIDS — The city of Cedar Rapids is again requiring staff and visitors wear masks or face coverings inside city buildings to curb the spread of COVID-19.

As Iowa sees another uptick of COVID-19 cases, Linn County currently is at a “high” transmission level, signaling indoor mask wearing is advised and people should get tested if they have virus symptoms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention metrics and a county-level risk map are available at CDC.gov.

Cedar Rapids’ requirement takes effect at 7:30 a.m. Monday in all city buildings, vehicles and other indoor locations “to maximize protection and reduce the spread of COVID-19,” according to an email to city staff from Human Resources Director Teresa Feldmann.

She wrote the city also encourages the use of Microsoft Teams or Zoom to conduct meetings. In-person meetings will require masks be worn, according to the email, but staff do not have to wear masks if they are at their office space and not within 6 feet of others.

For visitors, who also will be required to wear masks, there will be hand sanitizing stations, signs and masks at building entrances.

“We understand this may be frustrating for many of you as we try to move on from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Feldmann wrote. “However, we continue to follow CDC guidelines, and your health and safety will always be our main priority.”

Linn County Public Health staff are slated to present a COVID-19 update Monday to the Board of Supervisors with a strong recommendation, but not a requirement, that people wear masks inside county facilities, said Linn County Supervisor Ben Rogers.

The two local government entities in February dropped the requirement for masks to be worn inside their facilities, with the exception of the Public Health building where masks are still asked to be worn.