SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County Health Department said it anticipates it will be able to follow Governor Gary Herbert's recommendations for a phased-in re-opening of some businesses and loosening of some restrictions because of COVID-19.
"We anticipate Salt Lake County will be able to follow the governor's plan to begin reopening some businesses—with disease prevention precautions in place—in early May," the health department said in posts on social media. "We will have guidance for various industries in coming days so businesses have time to implement any requirements necessary to open. Reopening is, of course, contingent on the latest data we receive about the spread of the virus locally, and our reopening date could change if virus transmission increases in Salt Lake County."
FOX 13 reported on Monday night that Gov. Herbert had signaled his intent this week to move Utah from "red" to "orange" on a color-coded risk scale. That would loosen some restrictions in a phased-in approach. A spokeswoman for Mayor Jenny Wilson said she hoped to be on the same page as the governor.
Tucked into a bill the Utah State Legislature passed was a requirement that counties and cities could be less restrictive than the state, but not more restrictive. That would impact Salt Lake County, which has had a stay-at-home order while the governor issued a "directive."
At a news conference on Tuesday, the governor said he would work with local governments who may have higher caseloads, as well as governments that might want to loosen restrictions further than the state.
