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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.

Wasatch Council Receives Wednesday Update On COVID-19 And Earthquake Response

Wasatch County Health Department

Wednesday evenings update to the Wasatch County Council included some clarifications on the governor’s order issued on Tuesday. The meeting also spent some time addressing the Salt Lake County earthquake and its impact on Wasatch County.

At the Wednesday evening update Wasatch County Health Department Director Randall Probst highlighted a few more items from the governor’s order issued Tuesday evening. 

“If a member of a household has tested positive, then all members of that household should self-isolate,” Probst said. “You've heard in the past, groups of 20, If there's a person over 60 or immunocompromised. This declaration indicates that individuals over the age of 60 and individuals who are immunocompromised should avoid contact with other individuals. Not identifying a number, it's just saying that should be avoided. He also makes clear, all individuals should avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips—other than shopping for food and the essentials—and social visits.”

 

One exception to the group of 10 currently is grocery shopping, although social distancing should be practiced there as well. Probst also re-emphasized the self-isolation order for Wasatch High students and staff until March 26.

 

“That means that they're not supposed to leave home,” Probst explained. “That means they can’t go to work. That means they're not out doing things, where they’re interacting with other people. So that's important, both for parents, for students and for employers. We’re hoping to get that information clearly into the hands of the employers, but employers need to make sure they are not allowing high school students to work. One of the directives in this governor’s order says that the department shall immediately close all business activity, at any establishment that violates the provisions of the order. So, I don't do that as a threat. That's just the order that he gave, and we're trying to make sure that information is out there.”

 

Probst also asked the community to not come to the hospital without first calling the coronavirus information line, especially if symptoms are mild as health care facilities are trying to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

Probst did say there were no new cases of COVID-19 in the county to announce on Wednesday, although there surely will be in the future. Part of the slowing of reported cases was the 5.7 magnitude earthquake in Magna, Utah.

 

“Anything that went to the lab yesterday that would have been reported out today was not available because the earthquake killed the power and then the building also had to be cleared,” Probst continued. “So, the lab came back up for a few minutes today, but then with another aftershock, it went back down again. So, just delayed another day.”

 

Wasatch County Emergency Manager Jeremy Hales also reported that the direct impacts of the earthquake on county residents were minimal. Hales said the county received no reports of injuries, or structural damage to buildings, there was no loss of power or communications as well.

The only impact to community services was the traffic light on 500 North and Main that was disabled for a short time. Hales said aftershocks should be expected for 48 hours following the large quake, and that residents can learn more about the quake on USGS.gov. County manager Mike Davis also said the incident showed that the County Emergency response team plans are working.

 

“As soon as that happened, within just a few moments Jeremy and I were in communication,” Davis said. “I was in communication with Central Utah Water Conservancy District on the status of dams and things like that. So, I would like the public to know that our systems work. Our people are doing what they're trained to do, and it is working.”

 

Wasatch County Council Chair Danny Goode again emphasized that essential services such as water, sewer, trash collection, and power will continue to operate as normal. The county also encouraged residents to buy gift cards and indicated that their coronavirus webpage would soon have a list of businesses that are open and those that are closed during the pandemic. 

The entire video can be viewed here.

KPCW reporter David Boyle covers all things in the Heber Valley as well as sports and breaking news.
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