DES MOINES, Iowa - Governor Kim Reynolds says a decision could be announced as early as Friday on when to open up certain businesses closed by the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic.
She says she's meeting with the Iowa Restaurant Association to devise a plan for opening with limited seating.
A study by the Iowa and National Restaurant Associations shows 10 percent of Iowa restaurants won't reopen after being closed until May 1st. That number jumps to 18 percent if the closures are extended to June 1st.
Reynolds still emphasized the need for social distancing once restrictions are loosened.
"Even as we start to open back up the state and businesses, people still need to be responsible, they need to practice social distancing," said Reynolds.
The governor says she still encourages vulnerable individuals to take precautions once restrictions are lifted.
Iowa has almost 4,000 cases of COVID-19, although more than 80 percent are concentrated in 11 counties. Those counties - Linn, Polk, Johnson, Blackhawk, Louisa, Marshall,, Muscatine, Scott, Tama, Woodbury and Washington - all have more than 100 COVID-19 cases.