SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Legislature’s pandemic “endgame” bill lifts the statewide mask mandate on April 10. Counties have some leeway to enact their own pandemic policies — but only if the entire state falls short of three thresholds, The Salt Lake Tribune reports.
Under HB294, which Gov. Spencer Cox indicated he will sign into law, county commissions or councils can extend their mask mandates, subject to benchmarks set in the law.
Once the entire state has a 14-day COVID-19 caseload of less than 191 per 100,000 people, coronavirus patients occupy less than 15% of intensive care unit beds, and the state obtains 1.63 million doses of vaccine — regardless of whether they’ve be shot into arms — any pandemic-related public health order goes away, including local mask-wearing requirements.
Until the caseload, ICU bed and vaccination thresholds are met, the state will continue to have a limited mask mandate for groups larger than 50 when they can’t distance themselves from others.
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