Johnson County extends face covering policy for staff and visitors

Johnson County will continue to require all visitors and staff to wear a face covering while inside county buildings. The policy will remain in place until May 15 unless modified.

Chairperson+Royceann+Porter+listens+during+a+Johnson+County+Board+of+Supervisors+in+Iowa+City+on+Wednesday%2C+Jan.+18%2C+2022.+

Jack McGuire

Chairperson Royceann Porter listens during a Johnson County Board of Supervisors in Iowa City on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2022.

Cooper Worth, News Reporter


Johnson County will continue to require all visitors and staff to wear a face covering in county buildings.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to extend the county’s face covering policy at Thursday’s formal meeting.

Visitors and staff must wear a face covering that covers both their nose and mouth completely while inside county buildings, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.

This requirement is set to expire on May 15, unless extended, shortened, or modified.

The board first passed the face covering policy at its Aug. 12, 2021, formal meeting.

Johnson County has had some form of a face covering requirement since August of 2020.

The county recently dropped its vaccine-or-test requirement for county employees, but employees still had to comply with the county’s face covering policy.

Several states, including Illinois, New York, and California have made plans of lifting their mask mandates as COVID-19 cases are down 53.1 percent from their peak on Jan. 15 in the U.S.

As of Feb. 10, Johnson County is categorized as high transmission of COVID-19 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data tracker.

The Johnson County Public Health Department recommends wearing face coverings in any indoor public setting regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.