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DES MOINES, Iowa — After the Gov. Kim Reynolds’ press conference Tuesday, many voiced their concerns about the new quarantine recommendations.

The Iowa Public Health Association urges the public to still quarantine if they’ve been in close contact with someone with the coronavirus. Executive Director Lina Tucker Reinders said with less guidance and still no mask mandate, these new recommendations could bring more problems than solutions.

“If masks are worn, if they’re worn correctly, who’s going to be watching that? Who’s going to be affirming whether or not both parties were wearing masks for the full 15 minutes, six feet apart? Whether or not they were being worn correctly,” Reinders questioned. “We’re just concerned that this really puts everything up in ambiguity.” 

The Public Health Association said that these new recommendations do not comply with CDC guidelines and it is asking the governor to provide the evidence that supports her new guidance that diminishes the role of quarantining in the effort to stop the spread of the virus.

Reynolds said this new guideline recommendation comes after she and the Department of Public Health spoke to several school superintendents in the state. Dr. Caitlin Pedati alleges that schools where students and staff wear face coverings, are social distancing and disinfecting surfaces have not seen an increase in COVID-19 cases. 

Reinders warns if you take one preventative measure away, it can weaken the entire blockade against a COVID-19 outbreak. 

“These pieces work in concert together. It’s not a situation where one supersedes or negates the other. They all work together,” Reinders said. 

The Iowa State Education Association said not only are these recommendations not consistent with that of the scientific community, but it also is bad timing. 

“We are setting ourselves up for problems coming in October, November, December when the flu season hits. When we’re all more confined in our houses, in our workplaces,” Iowa State Education Association President Mike Beranek said. “By reducing the guidelines and not requiring some of the very basics that we know that need to be in place, I think we are looking at some potential misgivings.”