ALTOONA, Iowa — Prairie Meadows in Altoona announced Friday it is resuming its mask mandate. The casino and race track facility said effective Aug. 1 at 8 a.m., all guests and employees must wear a face mask or covering while on property.“Prairie Meadows will continue to do their part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” the casino said through a news release. Prairie Meadows said 100% of the indoor air is exchanged every 15 minutes through a two-stage filtration process that includes an anti-microbial treatment.

High-grade disinfectants and electrostatic sprayers are used on a rigorous cleaning schedule to sanitize the property daily. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance on Tuesday to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors when in areas with “substantial” and “high” transmission of COVID-19, which includes nearly two-thirds of all U.S. counties.