Dubuque Times

Legislators of the State of Iowa decided to continue with their usual monthly meeting despite the panic surrounding COVID-19. 

However, instead of meeting in person as they usually would, they held their very first virtual legislative crackerbarrel with 40 Iowans on a Zoom meeting hosted by the Dubuque Federation of Labor.

Dubuque State Rep. Lindsay James and Chuck Isenhart joined Andy McKean and Sen. Pam Jochum on the Zoom meeting. The primary topic of discussion was the novel COVID-19 outbreak and its effect after infecting nearly 300,000 Americans and causing the tragic deaths of over 6,000.

"This crisis has really put an (emphasis) on the fault lines in our nation and in our state," Jochum said, according to the Telegraph Herald. "They, quite frankly, have been getting dismantled over a couple of decades now." 

Jochum said some calculations that she had completed and prepared prior to the call provided estimated that for every 100 Iowan residents tested for COVID-19, roughly 7.3% will test positive for the virus.

"The most-common question I'm getting right now is, why hasn't (Gov. Kim Reynolds) ordered a shelter-in-place order?" Jochum said. "Her response is what she has do so far, she believes, is equivalent to that."

As a result of COVID-19, schools in Iowa have been tentatively closed until the end of the month, dining in at restaurants and bars have been prohibited, and other businesses such as movie theaters, salons, and fitness locations have been closed as a result of Reynolds’ orders to stem the spread of the virus claiming lives of Americans.

McKean said this pandemic has shown the nation the holes in our national disaster preparedness policies.

"If there is going to be a silver lining coming out of this mess, I hope it will be at least the recognition of the need for better child care, better health care, getting health care professionals into our state," McKean said.

Per McKean, if we are really trying to flatten the curve of the virus and save lives, we will need to be more diligent in practicing social distancing and taking the situation seriously.

"We need to have a stronger and more definitive message from the leader of our state to help people realize, as much as they should, the seriousness of the situation," McKean said.

Isenhart is planning on observing the rollback of environmental protection regulations to focus on helping businesses deal with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and recover from the effect that it has had on businesses

"I'm trying to learn more about those issues and do what we can through our attorney general and other folks to make sure that what we usually expect from government doesn't get lost if it doesn't need to be lost," Isenhart said.

Jochum said it is most likely going to be the middle of summer before people can go back out and carry on with their normal routines as usual.