CORONAVIRUS
Gov. Herbert Announces Increased Efforts To Slow Spread Of COVID-19
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Gov. Gary Herbert announced multiple efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Utah on Wednesday.
Among those efforts were a pause on all requests to relax any COVID-19 guidelines for the next two weeks and an executive order requiring face coverings at state government facilities.
Herbert made the announcements during Wednesday’s weekly press briefing at the Utah State Capitol.
No Easing of Guidelines For Two Weeks
Most of the state was in the yellow or low-risk phase of the state’s pandemic response as of Wednesday, and the governor said no requests to relax guidelines will be considered for two weeks.
Ten Utah counties, representing about three percent of the state’s population, made the move to green last week.
He said the state had done a good job of controlling the transmission rate of the virus until recently, and leadership from hospitals statewide have expressed concern about overwhelming their capacity if cases and hospitalizations continued to rise at current rates.
Herbert said a move back to orange was still on the table but any decisions will be made with data-driven, methodical decisions.
State officials reported 484 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday and 30 additional hospitalizations.
Overall, there were 167 positive COVID-19 cases hospitalized Wednesday, authorities reported. Of the patients hospitalized, 77 of them were in ICU beds.
According to UDOH, 61.1% of all ICU beds in Utah hospitals were occupied, and 44.9% of all non-ICU beds were occupied.
There were also 48 patients currently hospitalized as COVID-19 persons under investigation.
Herbert also recommended all Utahns wear a face mask at all indoor settings and gatherings, and at outdoor events where social distancing is not possible.
COVID-19 Situational Update (June 24)
LIVE: State officials are holding their weekly media briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic in Utah.
Posted by KSL 5 TV on Wednesday, 24 June 2020
Face Masks Mandatory At State Facilities
Herbert said his office will be issuing an executive order requiring face coverings at all state facilities.
The requirement will also include all state higher education and Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control facilities.
We will issue an executive order requiring mask wearing in all @UtahGov buildings under the executive branch, says @GovHerbert.
That includes @DABC and higher ed facilities.
— Utah COVID-19 Community Task Force (@UtahCoronavirus) June 24, 2020
