Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will lift the state's limited mask requirement on Sunday, along with the social distancing requirements and other COVID-19 mitigation measures she had in place for businesses and social gatherings. Many states had already mask mandates for months before Reynolds ordered Iowans to wear masks in certain social settings in November. According to reports, 36 states still require people to wear masks, although North Dakota's requirement expired last month and Mississippi's mandate only covers counties with high virus infection rates. Reynolds latest coronavirus emergency proclamation, issued Friday afternoon and effective 12:01 a.m. Sunday, instead "strongly encourages Iowans, businesses and organizations to take reasonable public health measures consistent with guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health," Reynolds' spokesperson, Pat Garrett, said in an email. A news release from Reynolds' office did not explain why she is relaxing the restrictions. The lifted requirements come as Iowa's daily reported case numbers and hospitalizations have shown declines since their spike in November, and less than a week after the state opened up vaccine eligibility to hundreds of thousands of Iowans. Still, the state reported another 804 confirmed cases Friday morning, and on Thursday the state surpassed the 5,000 deaths mark. Meanwhile, the coronavirus vaccine supply remains limited and in high demand, with Reynolds on Thursday saying Iowa ranks 47th in the nation in per capita vaccine distribution from the federal government and 46th in the rate of administering vaccines to residents. Also, on Monday, state officials confirmed a new, more transmissible version of the coronavirus was now in Iowa.