Health Officials Warn Labor Day Weekend Not A Holiday From COVID-19
Sep 4, 2020, 7:27 PM | Updated: 8:18 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Following other holiday weekends when people gathered in groups, Utah saw a rise in COVID-19 cases. That’s why infectious disease experts wanted to remind Utahns the coronavirus is not taking time off this Labor Day weekend.
“Right now, we need to remain vigilant with prevention measures we know work,” said Dr. Angela Dunn, state epidemiologist.
Dr. Brandon Webb, an infectious disease physician with Intermountain Healthcare, said Utahns cannot let our guard down.
“The risk of transmission is every bit as significant now as it was in July, for example,” said Webb.
While many children are back in school and businesses are reopening, the case counts and positivity rate for coronavirus show the virus is just as dangerous in some communities as it ever was.
This weekend, Utah’s favorite attractions like Bear Lake, national parks, mountains and canyons will be busy.
Webb said Utahns need to continue physical distancing, handwashing and wearing face masks.
“Even though we are tired of it, the importance of doing the things that we now know to work remains just as important today as it was earlier in the pandemic,” he said.
If traveling or getting together with people outside of your household, Webb said Utahns should be extra cautious.
“This is a disease that is spread primarily from person to person,” he said.
Webb said more people circulating outside of their households raises the risk of infection, so they should also take precautions among close contacts.
“And not consider our family unit or our household, or our close friends sort of a safe zone because we’re all interacting with other people all the time to a greater extent than we were before,” he added.
Webb advised Utahns to avoid crowds, especially indoors. If going into a gas station, a store or any public place, make it brief and wash your hands, or use hand sanitizer after leaving.
