Salt Lake County Lifts ‘Stay Home’ Portion Of Health Order
Apr 17, 2020, 5:42 PM | Updated: 5:46 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Salt Lake County officials announced the stay home portion of their public health order has been lifted during a press conference on Friday.
Under the revised public health order, county restaurants can open for take-out ordering, as long as proper social distancing protocols are followed.
Large gatherings are still banned under the order and residents were asked to continue maintaining a six-foot distance from others.
Mayor Jenny Wilson said the decision was based on the facts.
“We’re starting to feel like, in our data and our information that we’re getting in most areas, is strong enough that we can feel comfortable with people going out again,” she said.
Wilson highly recommended people take a face mask with them as they move about.
Salt Lake County Stay Safe Stay Home Order Update
LIVE: Salt Lake County officials are making an announcement regarding the county's Stay Safe, Stay Home order.
Posted by KSL 5 TV on Friday, April 17, 2020
“We want people to enjoy the outdoors. It’s one of the reasons we love living here, but we have to do it with caution,” she said.
She also announced county restaurants were allowed to reopen their doors but only for people who are there to pick up their food or place a take-out order.
“No seating inside. No outdoor seating,” Wilson emphasized.
She added the restaurants are still expected to enforce six feet of social distancing.
Friday’s announcement was aligned with a decision Governor Gary Herbert made as Utah gently stepped into the stabilization phase of responding to the pandemic.
Gary Edwards, executive director of the Salt Lake County Health Department, laid out strict safety rules for the restaurants, saying, “employees need to be wearing a face-covering while working. The establishment needs to set aside clear distinctions of an ordering line and a pickup line.”
Edwards said limits must be placed on the number of customers allowed inside and employees who handle cash and credit cards are not allowed to handle or prepare food.
He strongly recommended employees wear face masks.
Wilson said additional changes are coming soon.
“We are excited to share that we are looking at other areas, we’re in the process of evaluating other areas that we will, in the future, be lifting restrictions on — provided the data remains moving in the right direction,” she said.
Coronavirus Resources
For more on how Utah is combating the coronavirus, go to coronavirus.utah.gov.
To find a COVID-19 testing location near you, go to coronavirus.utah.gov/testing-locations.
- Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL TV wants to hear from you. Contact KSL by emailing social@ksl.com.
- What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy
- What We Know And Don’t Know About The Coronavirus
- Four Common Coronavirus Questions Answered
- The latest coronavirus stories from KSL TV can be found at our Staying Safe: Coronavirus section.
- Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus?
How Do I Prevent It?
The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:
- Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
- Avoid touching your face
- Stay home when you are sick
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
How To Get Help
If you’re worried you may have COVID-19, you can contact the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707 to speak to trained healthcare professionals. You can also use telehealth services through your healthcare providers.
Additional Resources
If you see evidence of PRICE GOUGING, the Utah Attorney General’s Office wants you to report it. Common items in question include toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, certain household cleaners, and even cold medicine and baby formula. Authorities are asking anyone who sees price gouging to report it to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection at 801-530-6601 or 800-721-7233. The division can also be reached by email at consumerprotection@utah.gov.