NewsCoronavirusLocal Coronavirus News

Actions

Southern Utah cities urge people to wear face masks, but won't seek mandate

Intermountain St. George Hospital
Posted at 2:49 PM, Aug 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-05 16:49:33-04

ST. GEORGE, Utah — The mayors of 10 southern Utah cities and two county commissioners have issued a proclamation calling on their residents to voluntarily wear face coverings.

The proclamation is signed by the mayors of St. George, Ivins, Santa Clara, Hurricane, LaVerkin, Leeds, Rockville, Springdale, Washington and Toquerville. Washington County commissioners Dean Cox and Gil Almquist signed it as well.

It urges residents to wear face coverings to help protect Dixie Regional Medical Center (recently renamed to Intermountain St. George Hospital) from strain, and to keep the economy and schools open. It also says "despite earlier confusion and news reports to the contrary, the science now shows that wearing face coverings over the mouth and nose may decrease transmission of the novel coronavirus which causes COVID-19."

But the proclamation stops short of seeking a mandate from Governor Gary Herbert like other communities have done. The governor has resisted a statewide face mask mandate, saying he prefers Utahns to voluntarily adopt the practice. But he has granted requests by Salt Lake, Summit and Grand counties, and Logan and Springdale to mandate them.

Read the proclamation here: