Utah Gov. Gary Herbert announced that Utah is ready to move on to the next phases of reopening. With a new color coded system that many states are taking into practice, every county except Grand is in the yellow or low risk phase. This means many small businesses will be reopening, but that still doesn’t take away the tension of social distancing.
Utah COVID-19 Reopening Guidelines,
A more detailed list can be found at the bottom of this article.
Still Trying to Iron the Wrinkles
The most recent counts still reach the hundreds in terms of confirmed COVID cases. The number of people being tested has also declined, but the number of testing positive has not. Lifting restrictions also means dissipating caution on the public’s part. From raiding all the toilet paper to no longer following social distancing guidelines, the public is the largest risk factor.
“I would like to express my gratitude to all who are taking these recommendations seriously, and stress that following these guidelines is crucial to ensuring the safety and health of us all,” Said Gov. Gary Herbert.
We are still flattening the curve, and during these times there will be spikes in cases just like the Spanish Flu. Businesses can’t stay closed forever though, and with the virus still out there a middle ground needs to be made. Businesses can operate, but only under strict guidelines.
“All of our employees are checking their temps before shifts, wearing gloves and masks. We provide sanitizer to guests and ask they use it before visiting. Surfaces and handles etc. are sanitized often,” Said Lisa Boone, the owner of Tinkers Cat Cafe. This business not only deals with people but live animals as well. People can spend time in a cat lounge playing and petting cats.
Many business like Tinker encourage those not eating or drinking wear a mask. With the 6 foot restriction as well this can limit how many can enter the business. Asa Ramen, a local Orem hotspot, used to fit 40 in its dining room. They can now have only 20 at a time according to Savannah, a server at the restaurant.
Some are still holding pick-up and deliver like J-Dawgs, Zupas, or Tsunami Sushi. Other dine in chains like Chilis or Applebees opened their dining rooms right on May 5th.
The New Normal
Though we are moving down a color, many of the guidelines are similar to orange status with a few exceptions. Gathers allowed up to 50 instead of the 20 and home restrictions are being lifted as well according to Phased Health Guidelines. These plans are all a part of the Utah Leads together III plan. The final colored Phase, green, called the “New Normal” lifts all restrictions, including most hygiene regulations except for sanitizing high touch areas or precautions for high risk individuals.
At the point of the “New Normal” hygiene and precautions will be left to the individual. The papers do state that hygiene restrictions will be tightened for business and that monitoring of employees and customers be a regular procedure. But at this point masks will no longer be required by the general public and at risk individuals look like regular people.
Detailed List of Restrictions
High Risk Restrictions
- General public and employers take extreme precautions
- Face coverings worn in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain
- Follow strict hygiene standards, including:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Use hand sanitizer frequently
- Avoid touching your face
- Cover the mouth when coughing or sneezing
- Regularly clean high-touch surfaces
- Follow any other standards promulgated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Utah Department of Health, and local health department
- Do not shake hands
- In-person interactions limited to individual households; Interactions in groups of 10 or fewer
- Increase virtual interactions
- stay 6 feet away from others when outside the home
- Regularly disinfect high-touch areas
- Give sick family members their own room if possible and keep the door closed
- Have only one family member care for the sick individual
- Schools closed
- Employees and volunteers of businesses operate remotely, unless not possible
Moderate Risk Restrictions
General public and employers take extreme precautions
- Face coverings worn in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain
- Follow strict hygiene standards, including:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Use hand sanitizer frequently
- Avoid touching your face
- Cover the mouth when coughing or sneezing
- Regularly clean high-touch surfaces
- Follow any other standards promulgated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Utah Department of Health, and local health department
- Do not shake hands
- In-person interactions in decreased group sizes that enable all social distancing guidelines to be maintained; social interactions in groups of 20 or fewer
- Increase virtual interactions
- Leave home infrequently, stay 6 feet away from others when outside the home
- Regularly disinfect high-touch areas
- Give sick family members their own room if possible and keep the door closed
- Have only one family member care for the sick individual
- Schools closed
- Employees and volunteers of businesses operate remotely, unless not possible
Low Risk Restrictions
General public and employers take reasonable precautions
- Face coverings worn in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain
- Follow strict hygiene standards, including:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Use hand sanitizer frequently
- Avoid touching your face
- Cover coughs or sneezes
- Regularly clean high-touch surfaces
- Follow any other standards promulgated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Utah Department of Health, and local health department
- Do not shake hands • In-person interactions in decreased group sizes that enable all social distancing guidelines to be maintained; social interactions in groups 50 or fewer
- Maintain social distancing when in public settings
- Regularly disinfect high-touch areas
- Give sick family members their own room if possible and keep the door closed
- Have only one family member care for the sick individual
- All businesses operational if they can meet and adhere to all related guidelines
New Normal
- General public and employers take reasonable precautions
- All businesses operating
- Schools are open
- Traveling restrictions mostly lifted, self-monitor symptoms 14 days upon return; avoid areas of high transmission
- Regularly disinfect high-touch areas
