The Iowa City Farmers Market will not add in-person shopping on July 4, as the city had previously planned, the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department announced on Wednesday.
“The difficult decision to cancel the in-person market was made due to recent increases in confirmed coronavirus cases in Johnson County,” the department said in a written statement.
Johnson County has now had more than a week of double digit increases in new cases of COVID-19. On Wednesday morning, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported another 36 Johnson County residents had tested positive for the virus during the previous 24 hours. It was the eighth consecutive day of double digit increases, something the county has never experienced before. The 183 new cases reported during that time is the largest number of new cases in an eight-day period since COVID-19 was first confirmed in Johnson County on March 8.
Johnson County Public Health said on Friday that most of new cases are occurring among younger people.
The city’s official Twitter account published a graph illustrating the growth in newly confirmed cases of the virus in the county.
Stats from the State show that Sat., June 20, was one of the biggest days for new COVID-19 cases we've ever had in Johnson County.
— City of Iowa City (@CityOfIowaCity) June 24, 2020
This virus isn't done. Wear a cloth mask/face shield when around people, keep social distance, stay home if you're sick. https://t.co/lKG44On4wm pic.twitter.com/NQGdpgq4Rl
The drive-through version of the Iowa City Farmers Market with online ordering launched in May will continue until the end of the season. It is a partnership between Iowa City Parks and Recreation and Field to Family, the Iowa City-based nonprofit that helps connect people in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area with locally produced fresh food. Ordering can be done through the market’s page on Field to Family’s site. The orders are picked up at the Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp on Saturday morning, where market staff and volunteers load items into the customer’s car.
The Parks and Recreation Department also said on Wednesday it is canceling the remaining two Party in the Park events scheduled for this summer due to the increase in new COVID-19 cases.
“All Iowa City residents should continue to wear a cloth mask or face shield when in public, or when social distancing is not possible,” the department said in its statement announcing the cancellations.
