Salt Lake County Mayor Submits Request To Require Face Coverings To Governor
Jun 23, 2020, 3:26 PM | Updated: 3:36 pm
FILE (Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson has asked Gov. Gary Herbert to allow the county to require face coverings in retail and commercial establishments.
The request came as there has been an increase of COVID-19 cases in the state, and 62% of Utah’s ICU beds are occupied.
“Salt Lake County is in agreement with the state’s healthcare leaders and state epidemiologist, Angela Dunn, that we are nearing our last chance for a course correction to manage the spread and death of COVID-19,” Wilson said in a press release. “I don’t want more severe restrictions. Face coverings are our most effective tool in avoiding that.”
The county’s request asks the governor for approval to require individuals to wear face coverings in retail and commercial establishments, restaurants while waiting to be seated and served and at community gatherings.
“Salt Lake County’s increase in cases has the potential to negatively impact our healƚh care system, as well as create an operational impact on testing, lab processing capacity, and contact tracing,” Wilson said in a letter to Herbert.
The letter also addressed a recent study from a team of scientists that confirm the effectiveness of face coverings, reducing the transmission risk by 75-to-82%.
