Beginning tomorrow, Sept. 3, #slc will move to the YELLOW level of restriction. We’ve seen 30+ days of downward trending COVID data, which goes beyond the @cdcgov and state recommendations. Our most impacted zip codes, 84108 and 84116 have both seen stabilization or reduction pic.twitter.com/nzZaHigxLk
— Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) September 2, 2020
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 2, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall made that Salt Lake City will join most of the rest of the state in the COVID-19 “yellow” stage by the weekend.
“After over a month of downward trending in our city for COVID-19, I’m announcing today a recommendation that Salt Lake City shifts to the yellow restriction phase,” Mendenhall’s video message said.
“I believe that now is the appropriate time for us to make this incremental shift for a couple of reasons. First of all, because our city has been at the center for some of the most elevated levels in the state, and we are home to many populations who’ve been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, we have been more precautious than the guidance from the CDC and state health officials.
“While the recommendation has been for us to look for a 14-day stabilization or decline period in positivity rate, Salt Lake City’s rate has been trending downward since July 13th. We now have over one month of data to show that we are continuing in the right direction and (sic) this pandemic.”
Mendenhall also says the testing rates in Salt Lake City are above the state target. She credited the mask mandate in Salt Lake City and county with bringing the numbers down.
“Masks are working, and we are grateful to county Mayor Jenny Wilson and the Salt Lake County Health Department for extending the mask mandate through Jan. 5th of 2021 to help ensure we continue to see this downward trend.”
Mendenhall said she will continue to work with the city and county to bring city areas still struggling with COVID-19, such as area codes 84104 and 84116, under control, using resources including greater education and increased availability of tests.
“I want to be clear that this shift is not a signal to relax the important measures that we take each and every day to stop the spread of COVID,” she said. “Shifting to yellow is not a shift back to normal, but an acknowledgement that our residents move from neighborhood to neighborhood and city to city every day and there is limited public health benefit in remaining at orange at this point.
“While a shift comes along with some minor changes to the state’s risk guidelines, we all must be vigilant about our actions to stay safe and maintain this downward curve. Masks are still required. We are still asking you to maintain six feet distances from others, and we must still be careful with our efforts to sanitize and wash our hands, and high-risk individuals still must take additional steps to keep themselves safe.”
Mendenhall said decisions are based on data, and if the cases increase, she will not hesitate to request the city’s status be reevaluated by Utah Department of Health officials.
As of Thursday, Salt Lake City was the last Utah city remaining in the orange (moderate risk) category.
Counties in the yellow (low risk) phase were Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Davis, Grand, Iron, Juab, Morgan, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Utah, Wasatch, Washington and Weber.
Counties in the green (minimal risk) category were Beaver, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Kane, Millard, Piute, Uintah and Wayne
Areas with local mask mandates are Grand County, Logan, Provo City, Springdale, Salt Lake County and Summit County.
