Last year, Iowans unimpressed with Gov. Kim Reynolds’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic gave her a new moniker: “COVID Kim.”
Since then, the name has become common among Reynolds’ critics online. WHO 13’s Dave Price asked her about it in an interview that aired Sunday.
“People never 100 percent agree with the decisions I make,” Reynolds said.
Price suggested that some people think she has been uncaring in her actions throughout the pandemic.
“That’s not true, it’s not accurate,” she replied. “You know, I have to take a look at the data, surround myself with experts that give me feedback, we did that.”
Some of those decisions she’s taken have included banning schools and localities from requiring people to wear masks, requiring schools to offer in-person instruction for the spring 2021 semester, and resisting calls to implement more COVID safety measures last year. Reynolds also pushed back on federal calls from experts to put some of these in place.
“I’ve tried to be transparent with Iowans,” she said.
Reynolds pointed to the daily press conferences she held for most of last year where she shared changes in hospitalizations, case numbers, and outbreaks at long-term care facilities.
When pressured to take certain actions, Reynolds has often emphasized “personal responsibility,” whether it’s isolating and mask-wearing in public, or, more recently, to students and faculty at schools wearing masks.
In her interview, she said she believed that because she didn’t push too hard on certain restrictions early on in the pandemic, Iowans responded better to her when she did implement tougher measures when cases and hospitalizations spiked last November.
“I put my trust in people to do the right thing. They did the right thing. I didn’t close us down,” Reynolds said. “So I ask Iowans to step up. To take that extra step, even though it was over the holidays, to maybe keep those gatherings small or just with immediate family. And because I think I hadn’t just overburdened them and gone too far with some of the regulations when I needed them to do it, they stepped up, they did it.”
As of last Wednesday, Iowa had an average of 814 new cases per day and 48 percent of Iowans had been vaccinated. The state updates its data weekly.
by Nikoel Hytrek
08/23/21
8 Comments on "Kim Reynolds Responds to ‘COVID Kim’ Nickname"
The levels of covid are rising fast in Des Moines metro sewage samples. I hope that topic will be featured in a future Reynolds interview.
If she doesn’t like COVID Kim she certainly isn’t going to like her newest nickname on social media: Kim Reaper. Too little action in a time the people need strong leadership.
By making it illegal for schools to require masks you have put our children in danger !
I penned the name Covid Kim on reddit at the very beginning of this pandemic when she refused to do anything about it
Months later I tried to secure Covidkim.com only to find out someone beat me to it. I had no idea it would catch on.
My only hope is that someone in the democratic party snapped it up
If Iowans had “done the right thing” we wouldn’t have some of the worst vaccination levels and highest case levels per capita
Governor Reynolds has failed to do her part. Trusting Iowans to “Do the right thing” is proving that Iowans are unclear what the right thing to do is. When you have a Governor who does not wear her mask in public, as seen by many at the Iowa State Fair with unmasked Grandchildren in toe. She does not encourage or require mask wearing in schools where many children are to young to be vaccinated. Leaving the decision to get vaccinated or wear masks up to the people is the wrong choice. You were chosen to be a leader. Your failing to do your job. While many have different opinions of the virus’ and how to fight it we know one thing for sure, masks save lives. Why she would not require masks in grade schools where many children remain unvaccinated at the very least is appalling. These children can take this virus home to parents, siblings, other family, and friends.. even community members are at risk if that infected child goes to the store unmasked with a parent.. Dont leave the choice to the people… but LEAD the People you govern. Help them to know that vaccine’s and mask wearing will help slow/stop the spread. Remove your ridiculous ban on mask mandates. Those mandates help. We need those mandates for people who don’t know better! Who don’t understand how diseases transmit from person to person. Who don’t understand that the vaccine won’t necessarily stop you from getting Covid-19, but it can significantly lessen the risk of Hospitalization and DEATH. Help the people you are supposed to be leading to do the right thing..instead of trusting people to “do the right thing.” Maybe then the nickname will stop. But as of now.. you are heartless Covid Kim. Your doing the wrong things for your community, your state, your citizens. Help them. Encourage them. Stop being careless. Your putting My Life in Danger. Stop it.
I love Kim Reynolds. She is the best governor in the country. Every move she has made was logical and balanced. Places like southern CA and southern NV have been masked 15 out of 18 months. More than half population wore them all 18 months. They are still masked now. Their cases have been some of the highest. Now they have testing and shot mandates. Still not working. Their small businesses destroyed. Children rank in the bottom in academics. Iowa’s economy is in good standing and the children are grading high. I will be voting Reynolds 2022.