After Reynolds' restriction lift, some communities follow suit Share Updated: 10:18 PM CST Feb 11, 2021 Share Updated: 10:18 PM CST Feb 11, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript OVER THE WEEKEND. STACEY: IN MORE CORONAVIRUS NEWS TONIGHT JUST A DAY AFTER THE GOVERNOR RELAXED STATEWIDE SAFETY GUIDELINES, ONE CENTRAL IOWA COMMUNITY IS DOING THE SAME. KCCI’S LAUREN JOHNSON EXPLAINS WHY AND WHY ANOTHER CITY IS CHOOSING TO KEEP ITS OWN REQUIREMENT IN PLACE. >> WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND IT DOESN’T REQUIRE A GOVERNMENT MANDATE TO DO IT. LAUREN: ON WEDNESDAY, GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SAYS SHE’S CONFIDENT IOWANS WILL STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 WITHOUT A STATEWIDE MASK MANDATE. WITHOUT THAT GUIDANCE COMMUNITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO DO WHAT’S BEST FOR THEIR RESIDENTS. >> THE RESOLUTION WE PASSED THIS LAST MONDAY WAS JUST A RESOLUTION STRONGLY RECOMMENDING FACE COVERINGS IN CARROLL COUNTY. LAUREN: PREVIOUSLY, THE COUNTY HAD MANDATED WEARING MASKS. THIS CHANGE WASN’T SOMETHING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADVISED. >> WELL, THEY KIND OF WANTED US TO STAY MANDATED, BUT WE WENT THIS OTHER WAY AND IT WAS BETTER THAN HAVING NOTHING. LAUREN: AND WHILE CARROLL COUNTY’S 7-DAY POSITIVITY RATE SITS UNDER BOTH THE STATE AND NATIONAL AVERAGE AT 5%. OTHER COMMUNITIES SAY THEY AREN’T BUDGING ON THEIR RESTRICTIONS. >> IT’S UNFORTUNATE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LETTING UP IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE. LAUREN: IN DES MOINES, MAYOR FRANK COWNIE SAYS NOW ISN’T THE TIME TO LET UP, EVEN WITH VACCINE ROLL OUT. >> I DON’T THINK THAT’S SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH YET TO BE THERE. I THINK WE GOT TO BE DILIGENT. LET’S HOPE WE GET MORE VACCINATIONS AND WE CAN GET THEM OUT MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY. LAUREN THE MAYOR SAYS THE : DECISION TO LESSEN MANDATES WITHIN CITY LIMITS WILL COME FROM THE GUIDANCE OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS. >> WHEN I FEEL THAT OUR HEALTHCARE OFFICIALS GIVE ME THUMBS UP THAT HEY WE’RE SEEING A LOT OF POSITIVE PROGRESS HERE, LET’S WORK TOGETHER AND MAYBE WE CAN START EASING THINGS UP. LAUREN: GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SAID LAST WEEK HER DECISION TO LIFT THOSE RESTRICTIONS CAME AS INFECTION RATES WERE DECREASING THROUGHOUT THE STATE. SHE SAID HER DECISION ALWAYS COMES