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Utah's COVID-19 task force marks one-year anniversary

Posted at 6:11 AM, Mar 02, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-02 08:11:52-05

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s COVID-19 Task Force marks its one-year anniversary Tuesday.

On March 2, 2020, Governor Gary Herbert announced the creation of the Utah COVID-19 Community Task Force led by then-Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox.

Members of the task force included representatives from the Utah Department of Health, the Utah Department of Public Safety, the Utah Division of Emergency Management and others.

The organization worked quickly to set up a coronavirus hotline and Gov. Herbert declared a State of Emergency.

Utah officials announced the first known COVID-19 case in the Beehive State on March 6.

RELATED: Utah's first COVID-19 patient discusses journey home and lingering effects

By March 12, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints canceled services worldwide. The next day, Utah brought its public schools under a soft closure.

Restaurants and bars were ordered to stop dine-in services on St. Patrick’s day.

Today, Utah is quickly approaching the grime milestone of 2,000 COVID-19 deaths. But with 257 new cases reported Monday, the state saw its lowest daily increase in six months.

RELATED: Memorial to COVID-19 victims lights up downtown Salt Lake City

Over the past seven days, about 11 percent of tests have been coming back positive and bills to end COVID-19-related health restrictions and limit the powers of a public health order are advancing on Utah’s Capitol Hill.

RELATED: Bills ending COVID-19 restrictions, limiting health order powers advance in Utah legislature

We’ll learn more about the fate of those COVID-19 bills as Utah’s 2021 legislative session ends Friday.