KAYLA MARTHALER, TRUMPET MANAGING EDITOR
The six counties where the order is in effect are Linn, Dallas, Johnson, Story, Polk, and Blackhawk. In those six counties, restaurants that serve alcohol can remain open but must stop serving alcoholic beverages after 10 p.m. under the new order. The order will be in effect until Sept. 20.
During the press conference on Thursday morning, Gov. Reynolds said that the closures are due to the increase in virus activity among young adults aged 19-24, which was spread through socialization. All six counties house some of the state’s largest universities, including the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa.
The New York Times recently reported that two Iowa Cities, Ames and Iowa City, have the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the country. At the University of Iowa alone, there have been 922 reported positive cases of COVID-19.
According to KCRG, at Iowa State the test positivity rate in the second week of testing was 28.8 percent. Yet on Monday, Iowa State said it would welcome fans back to Jack Trice stadium on the Cyclones’ football season opener.
According to CNN, the latest report from the White House coronavirus task force says Iowa’s new coronavirus cases per population are the highest in the country, almost triple the national average. The task force strongly recommends bars closed and restaurant capacity limited in 61 counties, as well as a statewide mandate that Iowans wear face masks while in public.
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Knight Wire 
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