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0000017b-652b-d50a-a3ff-f7efb02e0000KPCW's COVID-19 news coverage for Summit County and Wasatch County, Utah. 0000017b-652b-d50a-a3ff-f7efb02f0000You can also visit the Utah Department of Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization websites for additional information.

As Health Orders Expire, Utah Governor Extends Mask Mandate, Removes Restrictions on Gatherings

Steve Griffin | Deseret News, pool

Utah is going back to the COVID-19 transmission index after health orders from Governor Gary Herbert expired Monday.

Social gatherings will no longer be restricted to same-households only starting Tuesday. But Governor Gary Herbert did extend the mask mandate throughout the entire state.

Even though the governor lifted certain restrictions, he said health officials are still hoping to see the effect of the now expired health orders.

“I think there's indications that we in fact are starting to flatten out a bit,” Herbert said. “We have another week to go really to kind of test what we've done in modifying our system through our last health order.”

Once the transmission index is reinstated Tuesday, 26 of the 29 counties will be in the high risk level, including both Summit and Wasatch Counties.

But the transmission index will have some alterations. Social gathering will not be restricted, instead there will be recommendations, according to Rich Sauders, the Interim Director of Utah Department of Health. 

“We're trying not to prescribe how many people should be in your individual home. We want to leave that to your discretion,” he said. “So we've removed the limit on the number of people who can attend a private social gathering on your own private property.”

Health officials are still suggesting that areas in high risk level limit social gatherings to less than 10 people.

Some of the other mandates from the health order will also be extended. Bars and restaurants still have to stop serving alcohol by 10 p.m. And while extracirruclar activities will resume next Monday, there will be new COVID-19 mitigation protocols in place.

“The state continues to believe that learning in person is the best option for Utah students. We want to do everything we can to try to preserve this,” Saunders said. “All participants in high school extracurricular activities, including the coaches, trainers and staff will be required to be tested every other week.”

As ICU bed capacity in the state continues to increase, State Epidemiologist Angela Dunn said hospitalizations are only going to increase through the holiday season.

“What we're trying to do is make sure that people understand this risk and change and alter their Thanksgiving holiday plans accordingly so that we don't continuously have this surge of our hospitals needing to alter the way they care for patients with both COVID and non COVID,” Dunn said.

You can find more information on how to safely gather this holiday season at coronavirus.utah.gov/holidays.

Jessica joins KPCW as a general assignment reporter and Sunday Weekend Edition host. A Florida native, she graduated from the University of Florida with degrees in English — concentrating in film studies — and journalism. Before moving to Utah, she spent time in Atlanta, GA.
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