Nearly half of all Iowa counties, including Cass-Adair-Audubon-Adams, have levels of COVID-19 transmission high enough to be included in new indoor masking guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The federal agency updated its guidance to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors while in areas with “substantial” and “high” transmission rates of COVID-19.

According to the agency’s map, which covers transmission data collected through Sunday, 46 Iowa counties were in either of those two categories.

Iowa’s largest county, Polk, home to its largest city, Des Moines, was not included among that list as of Tuesday. However, a number of other counties have either “substantial” or “high” transmission rates according to the agency.

Those counties with high transmission rates (in this area) include: Adair, Adams, Audubon, Cass, Dallas, Harris and Ringgold. Montgomery County has a “substantial” transmission rate.