JOHNSTON, Iowa — Gov. Kim Reynolds said Friday that efforts to expand TestIowa capabilities were off to a fast start ahead of the Memorial Day weekend.
"As of 8:00 a.m. .. [Friday morning], nearly 1,700 appointments were scheduled at sites across the state," Reynolds said.
The governor announced Thursday the criteria for TestIowa would open to anyone who wanted to be tested, regardless of symptoms or potential exposure to COVID-19.
"Increasing the number of Iowans tested is one of the best things that we can do for the overall health of our state."
The governor's office announced new TestIowa locations will open next week in Marshalltown, Sioux Center and Council Bluffs. A testing site in Sioux City, which opened earlier this month, will close Friday at 6 p.m. when testing ends.
When asked why it was closing, Reynolds emphasized they're still offering "significant testing" in the area.
"We just as we look at the numbers, and we look at the numbers tested and we start to see a decline and that gives us an opportunity to reallocate and relocate some of our TestIowa sites," Reynolds said.
She added there needs to be a continued deep dive of COVID-19 case counts in Iowa.
"You just can't focus on one thing, we need to look at three day trends, we need to look at 14 day trends," she said. "We need to look at the positivity rate that's continuing to go down."
Reynolds also said she was taken off of a modified quarantine Wednesday. It was started after she met with Vice President Mike Pence earlier this month.
WATCH: Gov. Kim Reynolds' full press conference for May 22, 2020
