Cedar Rapids, Linn County ending COVID-19 mask mandates for their facilities

CEDAR RAPIDS — In line with revised federal guidelines easing mask-wearing metrics for most Americans, the city of Cedar Rapids and Linn County are lifting requirements that staff and visitors use face coverings to curb the spread of COVID-19 in municipal facilities.

The requirements end as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday announced new metrics to gauge a community’s level of COVID-19 risk and recommendations for appropriate precautions based on a community’s risk levels. More than 70 percent of Americans are in low- to medium-risk areas of transmission, where they now no longer are advised to wear masks in public indoor settings.

Linn County currently is at a “medium” level, for which indoor mask wearing is advised for those who are considered to be at a high risk for severe illness. These metrics and a county-level risk map are available at CDC.gov.

The city on Friday dropped its mask requirement, effective immediately, for city buildings and vehicles, according to guidance sent to all Cedar Rapids employees from City Manager Jeff Pomeranz.

Masks still will be required on Cedar Rapids Transit under federal guidelines until at least March 18.

Pomeranz wrote to city employees that he understands staff and the public may respond differently to these changes, and that Cedar Rapids has followed CDC guidance throughout the pandemic and will continue to do so.

“The health and safety of our city staff and the public are always our main priority,” Pomeranz wrote.

Staff may opt to wearing masks while at work, and he said the city team will respect those employees by following social-distancing protocols when in proximity to those wearing masks. Cedar Rapids also will continue to require employees to work from home when symptomatic or sick.

Pomeranz also encouraged city staff to make use of tools such as videoconferencing for meetings as needed to promote inclusion, benefit productivity and reduce vehicular travel.

“The pandemic has changed the workplace as we know it,” Pomeranz said. “I encourage all employees to continue to use the new skills we have all learned along the way.”

The city as a whole has not had a mask mandate since May, when then-Mayor Brad Hart ended the requirement after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed legislation barring schools, cities and counties from ordering masks be worn.

Before the CDC modified its guidance, the Linn County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 16 voted 2-1 to end the county facility mask requirement, effective Monday, Feb. 28. Masks are still required in the Linn County Public Health building.

Supervisor Ben Rogers, who along with Supervisor Louis Zumbach supported ending the mandate, said with the decrease in COVID-19 cases, and with private businesses, other municipalities and the state easing protocols to limit virus transmission, “we are really an outlier.”

“It is hard to continue to expect people to model good behavior when everywhere else you can go and it’s just recommended,” Rogers said of the mask mandate.

Supervisor Stacey Walker, who voted against dropping the mandate, said it was not “draconian” to ask people to wear a mask the county provides for the time that they are in county facilities. He said Linn County was an outlier because it was following public health guidance to make decisions about mask requirements.

“If it is the case that we are able to prevent even just one illness, or if we’re able to prevent the spread of one variant to one person or another … then I really think it’s worth it,” Walker said.

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