Thousands Of Travelers File COVID-19 Declaration Form Beginning Easter Weekend
Apr 11, 2020, 3:38 PM | Updated: Jul 26, 2022, 11:03 pm
WENDOVER, Utah — Thousands of out-of-state visitors received notifications on their phone when they crossed state lines as the Easter weekend kicked off, directing them to complete an online COVID-19 declaration form.
By 5:00 p.m. Friday, officials said 4,011 forms had already been completed, 3,520 of which came from car traffic along 9 monitored routes into Utah.
“We realize that is just a snapshot, but we’re encouraged by the number of people who are participating,” said Utah Department of Transportation spokesman John Gleason.
Gleason said 491 declaration documents were completed by travelers arriving at Salt Lake City International Airport, noting that air travel remained light because of the ongoing pandemic.
The program kicked off at the airport at 7:00 a.m. Friday, while targeted wireless emergency alerts began appearing on road travelers’ phones beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Gleason said the state was unable to calculate how many travelers’ phones received the alerts.
Travelers crossing into Utah on I-15 at the Arizona border completed 899 forms by 5:00 p.m., according to data released by UDOT. 576 declarations were filed by travelers who entered Utah from Wyoming on I-80. 423 declaration forms were completed by travelers who entered the state from Idaho on I-15.
Another 285 forms were completed by people entering Utah from Nevada on I-80.
Ian Bailey, a Utahn who had taken a ride over to the Salt Flats and Wendover before returning home, said he received the alert on his phone while heading west on I-80 through Tooele County.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Bailey said. “That’s the only thing that’s going to stop this and get it back to normal is to have people who have symptoms let us know.”
A trucker said he hadn’t heard of anything like Utah’s program that attempts to track and reduce the spread of COVID-19.
“I run from Georgia out here, and I also go into Canada, so I ain’t seen none of that,” said Jonathan Johnson. “I feel like they need to be checked, you know.”
Officials noted that participation was voluntary and that there were several exemptions, including for airline workers, active military, healthcare providers and workers who routinely cross state lines, as well as those involved in commerce and trucking shipments.
“We want to remind everyone that this is information that can help us all,” said Gleason. “The whole idea here is to stop the spread of this virus and get it under control so we can return to life as we know it.”
