Linn County to require masks in county buildings starting Monday

CEDAR RAPIDS — Beginning Monday, Linn County will require masks in county facilities once again as COVID-19 cases surge due to the delta variant.

The county will make disposable face coverings available for members of the public at each county building.

“The information we’ve received about the delta variant, its transmissibility, its lethality and the rate of increase in our community has prompted the Board of Supervisors to take this action,” Supervisor Stacey Walker said.

“We’re not doing this for political reasons,” he said. “We are doing this because we believe it will keep people safe.”

Linn County is coded as “red” — in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria — to signify a high level of community transmission of the virus. Such areas are considered to be those with more than 100 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.

On Tuesday, the city of Cedar Rapids announced it would require visitors to buildings owned by the city of Cedar Rapids — including the library and City Hall — to wear face masks inside.

By Iowa law, Linn County can require masks inside county-owned facilities, but the county can’t require property owners to implement a mask policy.

“Implementing a mask requirement for county government buildings is one of the last remaining tools left to local governments by the actions taken by Gov. Reynolds and the state Legislature,” Walker said. “This is literally the only thing left we can do to protect our community.”

County buildings remain open to walk-in traffic, but residents also may conduct county business online or by phone, email or mail. Also, drop boxes are located outside of county buildings.

The mask requirement includes:

Comments: (319) 398-8255; gage.miskimen@thegazette.com