World Mask Week is being recognized this week, and the Centers for Disease Control and Iowa Department of Public Health both encourage people to wear masks to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Governor Kim Reynolds is asking Iowans to be personally responsible and be part of the Step Up Mask Up Iowa campaign by wearing a mask in public and practicing social distancing. The CDC explains that COVID-19 is spread mainly through respiratory droplets from person to person when people talk, cough, sneeze, and sing; and face coverings help prevent those droplets from reaching other people.

As of Thursday, Iowa has had 50,167 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 954 deaths. So far, 39,220 people have recovered in the state for a recovery rate of 78.2%.