Cerro Gordo County slips on latest social distancing scorecard

MASON CITY — Last week, Mason City’s mayor said a national company that gathers cell phone location data and provided analysis to various companies had ranked Cerro Gordo County positively in heeding to the “stay at home” concept during the COVID-19 crisis.

During a news conference with local health leaders yesterday afternoon, Bill Schickel said Cerro Gordo County had slipped on Unacast’s latest non-essential travel scorecard.  “Last week I reported that Cerro Gordo County was doing a little better than the statewide average on what is called the social distancing scorecard. This afternoon, I have to let you know that we’re actually doing a little bit worse. As of March 30th, the scorecard gives the US a ‘C’, it gives Iowa a ‘D’, and unfortunately it gives Cerro Gordo County a ‘D-minus’, with an ‘F’ in the category of reducing non-essential travel.”

Schickel says the public needs to continue to do their best to stay inside and only be out and about when necessary.  “The caution in this particular data is that history tells us that communities that let up their guard too early have paid a tremendous price in the long run. That’s why it’s so important that we keep our social distancing.”

The latest data from Unacast gives Winnebago, Hancock, and Kossuth counties “B” grades; “C” grades for Worth, Mitchell, Butler, Franklin and Wright; and a “D” for Floyd County.

See the social distancing scorecard from Unacast by clicking here