Gov. Herbert Meets With Dr. Birx, CDC Director Dr. Redfield In Utah
Nov 1, 2020, 3:16 PM | Updated: Jul 12, 2023, 6:11 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Gary Herbert met with Dr. Deborah Birx and CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield, who were both in Utah, to discuss the state’s current COVID-19 situation.
The meeting was held Saturday morning.
The governor said they discussed the rise in COVID-19 cases in Utah and acknowledged the Beehive State is not the only state seeing a surge.
Grateful to meet with Dr. Birx and @CDCDirector today. For some time now, our data has shown that social gatherings are the main source of COVID-19 spread. Dr. Birx and Redfield confirmed this pattern is nationwide.
— Gary R. Herbert (@GovHerbert) October 31, 2020
Herbert posted on Twitter saying Birx and Redfield “confirmed this is a pattern nationwide.”
He then asked Utahns not to socialize with people outside their household, adding it “is the best thing you can do to stop the virus, protect our hospital capacity, and save lives.”
Please resist the temptation to gather with extended family and friends this evening, and consider celebrating Halloween with a small party of those you live with.
— Gary R. Herbert (@GovHerbert) October 31, 2020
Herbert asked that everyone resist the temptation to gather with extended family and friends on Halloween and consider celebrating with only those they live with.
He said Redfield confirmed masks work, reminding that many who are infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic, and that wearing a mask reduces infection.
Utah’s situation remains critical, and we discussed targeted strategies to end the current surge in infections. We will share more soon. In the meantime, mask up, and protect your extended family and friends by celebrating tonight only with those you live with.
— Gary R. Herbert (@GovHerbert) October 31, 2020
Herbert concluded by saying Utah’s COVID situation remains critical.
He said they “discussed targeted strategies to end the current surge in infections” and that more strategies will be shared soon.
Birx and Redfield also met with officials at University of Utah Health where they emphasized a need for more testing, to help with outbreaks in hot spots — specifically in key communities, including students, health care workers, university staff — and then trace those high positive rates back to their communities.
