Wear A Face Covering in Public

While it’s not required statewide, health officials and state leaders are urging everyone to wear a cloth face covering to protect themselves and people around them when out in public places. It is especially important to be mindful for the sake of high-risk individuals who have compromised immune systems or are of advanced age. Healthy people, including children, can be a carrier of COVID-19 without showing symptoms.

According to the CDC, cloth face coverings reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings. The spread of COVID-19 can be reduced when cloth face coverings are used along with other preventive measures, including social distancing, frequent handwashing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.

Gov. Gary Herbert has issued an executive order requiring face masks in most state buildings, including those within the higher education system. Salt Lake and Summit counties also have mandated masks. While many of the buildings operated by the Department of Heritage & Arts remain closed to the public, those that are accessible will require masks. This includes Bookmobiles and their headquarters.

Unfortunately, Utah is feeling a surge of new cases as restaurants, services, and retail begins to reopen. If you don’t have a face covering, visit coronavirus.utah.gov/mask to order one for yourself and your family members.