SEATTLE, Washington - A University of Washington group that tracks the reach of the COVID-10/coronavirus pandemic has downsized Iowa's peak rate of deaths and total deaths in the state.
It now projects a high mark of nine deaths per day on May 5th, and a total of 356 deaths from the pandemic to be reached by August 4th.
The group previously predicted 17 deaths per day and a total of 420 deaths in the state. And it initially projected 1,500 total deaths in Iowa from COVID-19.
It's projections now say Iowa could relax social distancing after June 26th if there are containment strategies that include testing, contact tracing, isolation, and limiting the size of gatherings.
The projections take into consideration that Iowa has had restrictions for mass gatherings and buiness closures since March 17th, and school closures since April 4th. Most schools in Iowa actually in mid to late March.
The study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle was updated Wednesday