Iowans are encouraged to take an online COVID-19 assessment. Governor Kim Reynolds announced Tuesday the launch of Test Iowa. The website provides an assessment of COVID-19 symptoms and risk factors and can help direct people to be tested if they meet criteria. She said at this time one in 113 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19 and there have been 3,641 positive cases and 83 deaths as of Tuesday. Reynolds said Iowa will begin mass testing with drive-thru testing in some parts of the state, beginning in Tama and Des Moines later this week.

Every Iowan is encouraged to take the online assessment so the state can gather more data, identify potential hot spots for the virus, and better target the fight against COVID-19. She said with Test Iowa, a public-private partnership, there are 540,000 additional tests available for Iowa. To take the assessment click here.

Washington County Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski provided a local update on the situation at Tuesday’s Washington County Board of Supervisors meeting, “We have seen a slowing in cases coming in. Aside from that uptick from the Tyson plant, we haven’t seen a lot of others, which means what we’re doing is working. So, that’s good, we just encourage people to continue to do that. The governor has shared that they predict our peak of death will come the first week of May. So, we still have several weeks to go before we reach that peak.” She says it’s important for people to keep the safety measures in place that they’ve taken like social distancing, washing hands frequently with soap and water, and disinfecting surfaces. Those steps are needed to continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 and avoid a second surge of cases.