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State senators notified of confirmed COVID-19 case in Capitol

Senators Rob Hogg and Sarah Trone Garriott tweeted about the situation Friday night, urging their fellow lawmakers to enforce more safety precautions.

Iowa state senators are urging for more COVID-19 safety precautions after an individual associated with the Legislature tested positive for the virus Friday. 

According to tweets from Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, the individual had last been in the building on Wednesday. Hogg's tweet says senators were notified by email earlier Friday evening. 

Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-Windsor Heights, tweeted her concerns over safety as well, citing the COVID-19 risk assessment tool from Georgia Tech

The identity of the individual is not being disclosed.

"For the privacy of the individual, the name and position of the person who tested positive for COVID-19 cannot be shared. The Chief Clerk is working with the individual to notify anyone they may have come into close contact with," said Melissa Deatsch, director of communications for the Iowa House Republicans. 

State lawmakers, their staff and the general public aren't required to wear a face covering while inside the Capitol. Republicans are in charge of setting the rules since they are the majority. 

Reporting a positive COVID-19 test is not mandatory for lawmakers, their staff or other employees in the statehouse. 

Republican leadership says the measures were created based on current Iowa Department of Public Health and Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. 

This all comes as Polk County, where the Capitol is located, experiences a surge in COVID-19 activity. Polk County health officials on Tuesday said they expect to hit November surge levels for hospitalizations and new cases by Jan. 25. 

The latest White House Coronavirus Task Force report says the state needs to prepare for another surge with "aggressive mitigation." 

The report, dated Jan. 10, also says the United Kingdom variant may already be in the state. The variant is reportedly 50% more transmissible than the original strain of the virus, meaning it spreads faster. 

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