COVID-19

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

Recent Updates

City Modifies Protocols Following Updated CDC Guidance | August 11, 2022

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its COVID-19 Community Level for Linn County to "medium." The City of Cedar Rapids will lift our indoor mask requirement for City buildings and vehicles, effective immediately. Masking will continue to be welcomed for employees and visitors in City facilities. Moving forward, our masking policy will continue to respond to local data. The CDC advises communities to monitor healthcare surge support capabilities, and we will continue to do this in conjunction with our healthcare partners.

City Modifies Protocols Following Updated CDC Guidance | July 15, 2022

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its COVID-19 Community Level for Linn County to "high." At this level, the CDC recommends the following:

Wear a mask indoors in public

Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines

Get tested if you have symptoms

Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness

The CDC's transmission level for COVID-19 in Linn County remains "high." View the City's sampling data for COVID-19 in wastewater.

In accordance with the CDC's recommendations, the City of Cedar Rapids will require the public to wear masks in City buildings, effective Monday, July 18 at 7:30 AM. Masks will be recommended on Cedar Rapids Transit. All City buildings remain open to the public with the mask requirement in effect.

City employees will be required to wear masks in City buildings, vehicles, and any other indoor locations while on-duty and in the presence of others. In-person, indoor meetings will require all attendees to wear a mask. Employees will not be required to wear a mask while in their office space and not within 6 feet of other individuals.

City services to the public continue to be fully operational and available online, via telephone and by email. Visit our Department Directory to view a full list of city services and contact information. Please call or email us with your needs. City staff is available and ready to assist residents in a safe and efficient manner.

The City also encourages use of the Mobile CR application, which includes My CR where you can submit comments, questions, and concerns; follow up on issues you're tracking; and see reports filed all across town.

Masks No Longer Required on Public Transit | April 19, 2022
Pursuant to guidance from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the City of Cedar Rapids will no longer require masks on City buses.

City Modifies Protocols Following Updated CDC Guidance | February 25, 2022

Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance for communities. New metrics help determine a community’s level of COVID risk, and the appropriate level of precautions it recommends based on the new community levels.

Under the new guidelines, most Americans are no longer advised to wear masks indoors in public places as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As of today, Linn County is at a “medium” level, where indoor mask wearing is recommended for those whose healthcare providers have indicated a high risk for severe illness. To view the new metrics and county-level risk map, visit CDC.gov.

In accordance with these new guidelines, the City of Cedar Rapids will lift our indoor mask requirement for City buildings and vehicles, effective immediately. Masks will continue to be required on Cedar Rapids Transit under Federal guidelines until at least March 18. All City buildings remain open to the public with the mask policy in effect.

If you choose not to conduct City business in person, City services to the public continue to be fully operational and available online, via telephone and by email. Visit our Department Directory to view a full list of city services and contact information. Please call or email us with your needs. City staff is available and ready to assist residents in a safe and efficient manner.

The City also encourages use of the Mobile CR application, which includes My CR where you can submit comments, questions, and concerns; follow up on issues you're tracking; and see reports filed all across town.

COVID-19 Sampling in Wastewater | December 10, 2021

The City of Cedar Rapids is participating in a nationwide study of wastewater facilities tracking the COVID-19 virus. Sampling performed at the community's Water Pollution Control Facility can indicate the presence of the virus in our community. View the latest data.

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City of Cedar Rapids Information

In This Section:

City Business

All City buildings remain open to the public. If you choose not to conduct City business in person, City services to the public continue to be fully operational and available online, via telephone, and by email. Departments are making efforts to ensure minimal disruption to public services while taking necessary COVID-19 precautions. Many services and city business can be conducted online or over the phone. View a full list of online resources.

Parks & Recreation

Guests may expect modified hours of operation, limited programs, and capacities, as well as updated policies and procedures to remain in place throughout the spring and summer.

CEDAR RAPIDS PARKS & RECREATION SAFETY PROTOCOL

Rumor Control & Trusted Sources

As we continue our efforts of promoting official, verified information, we wanted to provide residents with a list of trusted sources. While this list is certainly not exhaustive, it includes a snapshot of trusted sources in the healthcare, food, and transportation industries. Their respective social media pages are the best places to find and share information that addresses many resident concerns and rumors.

The FEMA rumor control page can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/coronavirus-rumor-control. The purpose of the FEMA page is to help the public distinguish between rumors and facts. Rumors can easily circulate within communities during a crisis. We can all stop the spread of disinformation by following 3 key steps: don’t believe the rumors, don’t pass them along, and go to trusted sources of information to get the facts. Encourage your friends and families to do the same, and be advocates for responsible and accurate messaging during this already stressful time.

The City has been actively addressing rumors and posting factual information on City communications channels. Recent rumors about COVID-19 “at home” test kits were addressed on the City’s Facebook page (there are no FDA-approved kits currently on the market).

The official City communications channels include:

City of Cedar Rapids

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