Iowa casino re-imposes mask mandate to slow COVID spread

ALTOONA, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa casino has re-imposed a mask mandate for its guests to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The mask mandate went into effect at 8 a.m. Sunday at Prairie Meadows, according to the Des Moines Register. 

The Polk County-owned casino, horse racing track and hotel was closed for three months in 2020 because of the pandemic. It reopened in June 2020 with a mask mandate but lifted the requirement in June 2021. 

The move comes amid a resurgence nationally of the coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance Wednesday calling for everyone, including vaccinated people, to wear masks indoors in areas with high transmission risk.