Finkenauer Sends Letter to Governor Reynolds after First Case of Community Spread Coronavirus in Iowa

March 15, 2020
Press Release

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01) sent a letter to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds asking for clarity on the state’s plan regarding potential closures and sharing of information. This comes after the Iowa Department of Public Health’s confirmation of a community spread case of coronavirus in Dallas County, and after President Trump’s Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Dr. Anthony Fauci, supported more aggressive steps being taken nationwide to mitigate the virus’ spread. 

“We now know coronavirus is spreading inside our state, and infection is not exclusive to those who have traveled on cruise ships or abroad. As administration official Dr. Anthony Fauci of the NIH said this morning, we should be overly aggressive in this moment,” Congresswoman Finkenauer said. “I urge the Governor to closely examine best practices from other states and take appropriate action as necessary to stop further community spread, and protect Iowans of all ages, including considering school closures. Our friends and neighbors should keep practicing social distancing and avoid large gatherings. We also need to be sure our public health system is prepared to handle a potential large volume of Iowans needing treatment. Elected officials must continue communicating with each other, along with public health officials, to ensure our communities have the tools and resources they need.”

In the letter to Governor Reynolds, Finkenauer asks for:

  • A coordinated and concise response from the state
  • A cross-agency plan for state facility and service closures in the event coronavirus continues to spread, and details on how closures and changes will impact Iowans
  • Making all information on actions, and the plan for further actions, easy to find in a central location on the Iowa Department of Public Heath’s website

While Finkenauer is asking for a centralized webpage with the state’s information on coronavirus, she also encourages Iowans to use the hotlines that are already setup: 

  • To stay informed and use the state’s hotline (2-1-1) for any questions and to stay up to date. 
  • If you or your loved ones exhibit symptoms, please contact your local health department or the Iowa Department of Public Health (1-800-362-2736).

Background:

Saturday morning, Finkenauer voted to pass an emergency package to help Iowa families and health professionals impacted by coronavirus. 

Taking early action last week, Finkenauer voted to approve a critical coronavirus funding package to help expand testing and research. Finkenauer also sent an oversight letter to the Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar seeking specific answers on whether local health agencies and hospitals have the tools they need.

This week, Finkenauer helped host a Small Business Committee hearing on Coronavirus and asked a witness about health and safety, and financial security for hard-working Iowans impacted by coronavirus. 

Finkenauer followed up that hearing on Thursday morning with an oversight letter asking the Small Business Administration (SBA) about their progress on providing information on small business assistance to Iowans along with what methods they will be doing outreach to Iowa businesses. Thursday evening, the SBA posted this information webpage.

Finkenauer also published a coronavirus informational page to help Iowans access important information regarding the global pandemic. The page is available at https://finkenauer.house.gov/coronavirus-information

Finkenauer’s office has been in contact with area hospitals, business organizations, schools and colleges with respect to the virus to understand any ongoing concerns. Friday, Finkenauer also spoke with Governor Kim Reynolds for an update on Iowa’s response to coronavirus.