COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are again on the rise in Iowa. 

U.S. Representative for Iowa’s Second District Mariannette Miller-Meeks is calling on those who haven’t been vaccinated for the virus to do so as soon as they can. Miller-Meeks is a licensed Ophthalmologist who also served as a nurse and doctor in the U.S. Army. She says she was vaccinated as soon as it was available to her and has helped administer shots in all 24 counties in Iowa’s second congressional district. Much of the concern comes from the rise in cases of the delta variant. Miller-Meeks expresses her worries for those who haven’t been vaccinated, “I’m concerned when I hear talk about reinstituting lockdowns and mask mandates because I really think that the people who are vaccinated, their risk of contracting the Delta variant is extremely low–it has happened and there are reported cases of it, but right now what we are seeing is in increase primarily in those who are unvaccinated.”

According to the Iowa Coronavirus Dashboard, Iowa has seen a steady increase of cases over the past week with the seven day average at 241 cases per day. Miller-Meeks encourages people who do have questions to seek medical providers to find the best answers possible.