WASHINGTON DC (April 13, 2020) — The United States entered the current public health and economic crisis facing high levels of debt and trillion-dollar deficits.

DES MOINES, IOWA (April 13, 2020) — On April 12, The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) was notified of 77 additional positive cases for a total of 1,587 positive cases. There have been an additional 383 negative tests for a total of 16,005 negative tests to date, which includes testing reported by the State Hygienic Lab and other labs. Today’s results do not reflect a complete 24-hour cycle of testing as IDPH is currently transitioning to new reporting time frames.

On February 29, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams took to Twitter to admonish Americans:  "Seriously people — STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus ..." A little over a month later, Adams finally got around to asking the Centers for Disease Control if perhaps he'd been talking through his hat when talking through a mask might have been smarter.

DES MOINES, IOWA (April 10, 2020) — Today, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a new proclamation continuing the State Public Health Emergency Declaration.

The proclamation provides additional regulatory relief necessary to respond to this public health disaster. This includes provisions to give health facilities greater flexibility, remove certain in-person regulatory requirements, and permit community colleges and school districts to adjust to the suspension of in-person instruction.