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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 County Council Issues Health Declaration After First Confirmed Case In The County

In a special meeting Monday evening, Wasatch County Council issued several recommendations. Council also re-emphasized their webpage to check during the crisis. Coronavirus.Wasatch.Utah.Gov 

 At the Monday special meeting of the Wasatch County Council, council chair Danny Goode announced that as the COVID-19 situation in Wasatch County evolves the county council will likely be holding daily meetings to update the public, while the health department will aim to put out a release each afternoon.

“Keep in mind this is a very rapidly changing situation,” Goode explained. “Again, these recommendations could become mandatory or we could even have some greater restrictions that are put in place. Either by our county health department, by the state, or the federal government.”

Wasatch County Health Department Director Randall Probst presented a declaration to the council. Consistent with state and CDC directives the health department directed that no mass gatherings over 50 people shall be held, if someone over the age of 60 is present that gathering size limit would change to a maximum of 20. Access to long-term care facilities will also be limited to close family relatives and facility staff.

Additionally, the council recommended restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, and theaters should close to dining in the establishment. Should they remain open, the health department recommends they operate on a limited basis to maximize social distancing, limiting the number of diners to 50% of fire code capacity or permitted capacity. In facility, dining should be by reservation only to manage the numbers. Those facilities should also arrange customers in such a way as to maximize social distancing and achieve a distance of six feet between groups of customers. Counter service restaurants should restrict service to take-out or drive-through service only.

Other recommendations included that lodging facilities should discontinue use of all communal facilities (pools, hot tubs, saunas, team rooms, fitness centers, conference rooms, and food service items except for room service).   

Other public gathering places such as gyms, health clubs, recreational facilities, churches, and dance and performance clubs should have access limited. Probst noted that many businesses had already put some of the practices into place themselves.

“We’ve got many of the businesses in the community already responding,” Probst continued. “They’ve already said we’re shutting down in-establishment dining. We’ll be working out how you can drive up and pick it up. Already responding in their own choosing. We want to acknowledge them. We know we’ve got some great people out there; they’re working hard to help. The more we work together to make this happen, the less restrictive we have to impose. We’re Interested in their feedback, their comments. As we move along and re-evaluate there may be good ideas that we haven’t yet thought about. There may be other things that we yet have to add.”

Goode shared some additional critical messages for the community.

“We do know that more people will get sick, but what we’re hoping to do is to minimize the impact on our community,’ Goode said. “Just as a reminder I know I’ve said it a few times, your public services will still be operational, your water, your sewer, your power. All the things that you need to function in your home. Please shop responsibly, please do not hoard. Take what you need, no more, no less. Please do not make a mess. I think that we’ll get through this quite fine. We know that’ll change; we know that we have some tough days ahead but we’re going to get through it together.” 
 

The entire release can be viewed here. The special meeting can be viewedhere.

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