Fact Check: Minnesota Governor misleading in criticizing Iowa’s COVID-19 positivity

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Minnesota’s Governor used a slightly misleading comparison to criticize Iowa’s Governor’s move to do away with most COVID-19 restrictions, including her mask mandate and restrictions on bars and restaurants.

On Friday, Governor Tim Walz (D-Minnesota) touted his state’s COVID-19 7-day positivity rate of 3.9% as he announced an easing of restrictions in Minnesota. Those easing of restrictions was primarily on crowd size and indoor dining but left in place the state’s mask mandate. Gov. Walz said his move was slow and calculated while criticizing the faster rollback Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds took the week before.

CLAIM: “I can’t imagine being at 25% positivity rate like we’re seeing in Iowa and that is you’re going to overwhelm your hospitals,” Walz said. “It’s it’s inevitable. It’s just math, it’s math, it’s not anything else. And that can all be alleviated by the situation we’re in.”