Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced a new proclamation on Thursday that lifts spectator gatherings for recreational and high school sporting events. Masks and social distancing will still be required as part of the measure.
The Bishop Garrigan and Wapsie Valley boys basketball teams tip off in front of restricted crowds on Friday, March 13, 2020, during the Class 1A championship game of the Iowa High School Boys Basketball State Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Crowd sizes were restricted for all teams during the tournament to help avoid exposure to COVID-19.
As part of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' new public health disaster proclamation that was released on Thursday, spectator limits on recreational and high school sporting events will be lifted.
The move took effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday morning.
The proclamation adjusts some of Reynolds' previous health measures, which were put in place to try to help stop the spread of COVID-19 throughout Iowa.
While the new measure gets rid of restrictions that previously limited attendance to two spectators per student-athlete, spectators will still be required to wear a mask while in attendance, and social distancing of at least six feet is still required between groups.
Masks will continue to be required for all people 2 years or older when they are in an public indoor space, and within six feet of individuals who are not members of their household for 15 minutes or longer.
As of Thursday, Iowa had 291,397 total lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19, with Cerro Gordo County accounting for 4,454 of them. There are currently 454 total active cases in Cerro Gordo County.
Cerro Gordo has also reported 63 total deaths due to COVID-19, with Iowa currently at 4,065.
Update
On Friday, the Top of Iowa Conference announced that it will continue enforcing its current attendance restrictions, despite Gov. Reynold's new health proclamation. The current restrictions require that an attendee either have a Top of Iowa lanyard, or live in the same household as a competing athlete.
"The Top of Iowa Conference will continue with the current attendance restrictions until further notice unless a local school district determines that they have the ability to accommodate a larger crowd," the statement said.
Shane Lantz covers sports for the Globe Gazette. You can reach him at Shane.Lantz@GlobeGazette.com, or by phone at 641-421-0526. Follow Shane on Twitter @ShaneMLantz.
