(Radio Iowa) Governor Kim Reynolds says she will use a phased-in approach as she lifts the limits she’s placed on public gatherings and business activities – but she’s not giving a timetable for when she’ll announce her decisions. “I know that the possibility of getting life back normal sooner rather than later is what hard-working Iowans want and it is absolutely what I want, too,” Reynolds says. But Reynolds says the state has not yet started to see a consistent daily decline in the number of COVID-19 cases and she’s not ready to announce when her orders may be lifted.

Iowa bars and restaurants have been closed since noon on March 17th, although take out and curb-side service is allowed. Fitness centers, hair salons, and a variety of other businesses were later added to the closure list that’s currently in effect through April 30th. Reynolds says the speed at which testing capacity can be expanded in the state is another factor in when businesses may be allowed to reopen.

“As we continue to learn how to live with COVID-19 until a vaccine is available, we’ll also learn how to carefully balance not only the health of Iowans, but the health of our economy.” Reynolds says. Reynolds says the plans she and her staff have drawn out for reopening the Iowa economy are in line with the approach President Trump discussed with the nation’s governors on Thursday. Reynolds is again hinting she may allow business activity to resume first in counties and regions of the state where confirmed COVID-19 cases remain low.

Earlier today (Friday) Reynolds announced schools will not reopen in May.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Hospital administrators have acknowledged that more than 60 employees at the University of Iowa Health Care campus in Iowa City have tested positive for COVID-19. The Gazette reports that of the 64 employees infected to date, four tested positive Thursday.

UI Hospitals and Clinics CEO Suresh Gunasekeran says the outbreak is not due to a failure in the hospital’s personal protective equipment strategy. But he conceded that administrators don’t know how or where all the employees were exposed, noting that the virus has “been so prevalent in different parts of the community that we’re just unclear.”

SEATTLE — An influential modeling institute is forecasting specific reopening dates for states shut down by the coronavirus. The recommendations are based on projections for when each state’s infections will drop below one per 1 million people. The University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation says Hawaii, Montana, Vermont and West Virginia could open by May 4, if they restrict large gatherings, test widely and quarantine the contacts of people who test positive.

According to the model, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Utah are among states that would need to wait until late June or early July.

The institute says state decisions on reopening should be made based on the situation closer to the hoped-for date of reopening. Its projections have varied widely over time, drawing criticism from researchers with other types of models. The Seattle model is the one most often mentioned by U.S. health officials at White House briefings.

It uses U.S. hospitalization and death data, along with observed trends in China, Italy and Spain to project what will happen next in the United States. Uncertainty is built into any mathematical model that tries to predict the future.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (The Gazette) — Hospital administrators have acknowledged that more than 60 employees at the University of Iowa Health Care campus in Iowa City have tested positive for COVID-19. The Gazette reports that of the 64 employees infected to date, four tested positive Thursday.

UI Hospitals and Clinics CEO Suresh Gunasekeran says the outbreak is not due to a failure in the hospital’s personal protective equipment strategy. But he conceded that administrators don’t know how or where all the employees were exposed, noting that the virus has “been so prevalent in different parts of the community that we’re just unclear.”

Police in Council Bluffs report a man suspected of being involved in a shooting incident that took place early Monday morning was taken into custody today (Friday). 43-year old Robert Brokman, of Council Bluffs is suspected of firing a weapon at around 2:11-a.m. Monday, in the 700blk of So. 32nd Street.

At the scene, Officers found a white female suffering from minor injuries. Four shotgun shell casings were recovered from the scene, as well. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Police want to thank everyone for their tips that lead to Brokman’s arrest.

Robert Brokman