WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — In a White House briefing with the White House Coronavirus Task Force on Monday, Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke about the efforts being made in two of the nine states that have not issued an official stay-at-home order.
Dr. Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergies and Infection Diseases, has become a prominent voice as COVID-19 has spread across the United States.
While Iowa and Nebraska haven't issued formal state-at-home orders, Dr. Fauci recognized the efforts both states have made in attempting to curb the virus' spread.
"I had good conversations with the governor of Nebraska and the governor of Iowa here," Dr. Fauci said. "And it's interesting that functionally, even though they have not given a strict stay-at-home, what they are doing is really functionally equivalent to that."
"We had a really good conversation with both of the governors and when you, when I think I had mentioned that, I think there was a public response that they weren't really doing anything at all," Dr. Fauci continued. "And they really are doing a very good job. Both of them. Those are the only two that I spoke to. But it was a really good conversation. I want to make sure people understand that just because they don’t have a very strict stay-at-home order, they have in place a lot of things that are totally compatible with what everyone else is doing."
Gov. Reynolds has businesses such as malls and tobacco/vaping stores to close by Tuesday morning as part of what she calls a "critical" week for COVID-19 response in Iowa.
As of Monday morning, there are 946 positive cases in the state with 25 deaths and 10,653 negative tests.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends frequent hand washing, avoiding close contact and staying home if you are sick as main areas of focus for prevention and containment of COVID-19.