Summit County, Utah (January 6, 2022) — Beginning January 7, 2022, all individuals living within or visiting Summit County, Utah, regardless of vaccination status, must wear face-coverings while inside public indoor facilities or waiting in lines. Public Health Order 2022-01 was enacted by Summit County Manager Tom Fisher and Summit County Health Officer Dr. Phil Bondurant in response to the record-breaking surge of the Omicron COVID-19 variant both in Summit County and across the state. This Order begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, January 7, 2022 and is currently in effect until 5 p.m. on February 21, 2022.

"This was not an easy decision and certainly not an action we wanted to take at this stage of the pandemic," Dr. Bondurant said. "I am especially concerned for our frontline workers, our children and staff in schools and the current strain on our healthcare system. Masks combined with vaccines are critical tools to help us weather this surge and protect our critical services."

Exemptions include:

• Individuals under two years of age, those with medical conditions, impairments, or disabilities that prevent wearing a face-covering.
• Individuals engaging in work where they are alone in an indoor establishment or facility, individuals for whom wearing a face-covering would create a risk to the individual related to their work as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.
• Individuals seated at a restaurant or other food/beverage establishment while they are eating or drinking.
• The complete Order and a full list of exemptions can be found at https://bit.ly/2022-01.

"Along with the health of our residents, workers and visitors, preserving and maintaining critical infrastructure services in our county is of the highest priority," County Manager Tom Fisher said. "As it stands, the omicron surge poses a significant threat to our ability to provide critical services, such as emergency response, snow removal, solid waste collection, medical services, and others. This health order helps protect those front-line workers and the important services they provide this community.

Violations of the Order are punishable as infractions; however, the purpose of the Order is to protect individuals’ health and not to hold them criminally liable. Discretion will be used in the citing and prosecution of violations of the Order. Educating and supplying a mask to those in violation will be a priority of enforcement.

November 8, 2020: Governor declares new State of Emergency - Governor and Utah Department of Health Issue Statewide Mask Mandate, Pause Extracurricular Activities, Ask Utahns to Limit Gatherings to Household Only

Executive Order | FAQs

Summit County Requires Masks in Community Gatherings and Publicly Access Indoor Spaces

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Summit County, Utah (June 26, 2020) — On Friday, June 26, Summit County Council adopted Joint Public Health Order 2020-08, requiring “all individuals currently living within or visiting Summit County, Utah, to wear a face covering that completely covers the nose and mouth” under certain conditions. This exemption was approved by Governor Gary Herbert based on a request sent by Summit County Council Chair, Doug Clyde, Summit County Manager, Tom Fisher, and Summit County Health Director, Dr. Rich Bullough. This Order will go into effect at 12:01 am on Saturday, June 27, 2020. 

In the letter requesting an exemption, Summit County leadership stated the following reasons for the mask ordinance:

“While the COVID-19 data in Summit County have been favorable as recently as three weeks ago, our more recent trends are of great concern and strongly suggest we are heading the wrong direction since moving to Yellow. Our Proxy Transmission Rate is at 2.5, and has been above the State goal of 1.5 continuously since June 10. The proportion of our positive cases related to travel has steadily increased from 0% on Memorial Day to 13% today. We have had nine (9) consecutive days of increased new (incidence) cases, based on the CDC 3-day average methodology. Additionally, we have experienced an increase in Positivity Test Rates from 2.5% on June 12 to 4% on June 21, exceeding the state target of 3%.”

Joint Public Health Order 2020-08 requires mandatory face coverings in any indoor spaces that allow the general public as well as any community gathering locations, indoors or outdoors. Employees will be required to wear a mask indoors and outdoors when interacting with the public, with the exception being in employee-only areas or employees working on assembly lines.

Other exemptions include:

• Individuals age two years or under.
• Individuals with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face covering.
• Individuals who are hearing impaired, or communicating with an individual who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
• Individuals for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the individual related to their work, as determined by local, state or federal regulators or workplace safety
• Individuals who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the
• Individuals who are seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or beverage service, while they are eating or
• Individuals who are purchasing a product or receiving a service that requires identification may briefly remove a face covering, as necessary, so that the retailer or service provider can verify

Numerous “face coverings” qualify under the Order, included cloth masks, disposable masks, bandannas and neck gaiters. Violations of the Order are punishable as an infraction; however the purpose of the Order is to protect individuals’ health and not to hold them criminally liable. Discretion will be used in the citing and prosecution of violations of the Order. Educating and supplying a mask to those in violation will be a priority of law enforcement.

“While these data may not be as dire at this moment as some surrounding jurisdictions, all the trends are unfavorable,” said Summit County leadership in the letter. “Summit County is a location to which people travel for work and recreation, often from areas experiencing rapid disease spread. Based on our current adverse data trends, and the surging cases in surrounding counties, we strongly believe our primary hope in adverting a future business shutdown is through this proposed mandatory mask measure.”

Businesses, employees and members of the general public who have questions or concerns about the current Order are encouraged to call the Summit County Community Concerns Line (staffed Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) at 435-333-0050.

The Joint Public Health Order 2020-08 can be viewed in its entirety here. For current information on Summit County’s COVID-19 outlook, visit summitcountyhealth.org/coronavirus/. At this website, the public can find local information and community resources updated regularly as the pandemic situation evolves.

Required mask signage for Summit County businesses can be downloaded here.

Summit County to Move to Yellow Risk Level of COVID-19 Response

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Summit County, Utah (May 21, 2020) — On Thursday, May 21, Summit County Council adopted Joint Public Health Order 2020-07, to move Summit County to a Yellow Risk Level as part of the ongoing COVID-19 response. This Order is effective at 12:01 am on Friday, May 22.

Summit County to Remain in Moderate/Orange Phase

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Summit County, Utah (May 14, 2020) — On Thursday, May 14, Summit County Council adopted Joint Public Health Order 2020-06, leaving Summit County at the Moderate or “Orange” Risk Level as other parts of Utah move to the “Yellow” Risk Level. This Order will be reviewed in one week by the Governor’s Office.

“The data we have seen over the past two weeks is encouraging,” Summit County Deputy Health Director Dr. Phil Bondurant said. “Our strategy for remaining at the Moderate Risk Level is to fully understand the results of lifting the Stay At Home Order and gather information that will guide our response as we move into the summer months. We are actively working with other Moderate Risk Level areas such as Wasatch County and Salt Lake City to understand the transmission of COVID-19 among our shared workforces.”

Joint Public Health Order 2020-06 simplifies Order 2020-05, reducing the document to 16 pages from 54. It is aligned with the Governor’s Moderate Risk Level Order, aside from 4 areas deemed to be at increased risk in Summit County: Indoor Recreation, Arts & Entertainment, Lodging and Restaurants.

“Our collaboration with the Governor’s Office to remain at the Moderate Risk Level provides critical time to truly evaluate the impact of moving from High to Moderate Risk,” Summit County Council Chair Doug Clyde said. “We are a global tourism destination and our workforce is closely linked to Salt Lake City and Wasatch County. These unique factors call for a different response than many other areas of the state. We have made tremendous progress against COVID-19 due to the actions of our residents and the response of our local healthcare system. Our goal is to preserve that progress as we move forward.”

Factors influencing this decision include:

• Providing critical time to truly evaluate the impacts of moving from High Risk to Moderate Risk.
• Wasatch County and Salt Lake City, two areas where Summit County residents and workforce commute to and from, also remain at the Moderate Risk Level.
• Travelers and tourists visiting Summit County continue to be a potential transmission risk.
• Summit County has the second-highest positive rate per 100K population in Utah and an R0* (r-naught) below 1 that appears to be increasing.

*R0 is a metric that defines how contagious a virus is. R0 predicts the average number of individuals who will catch COVID-19 from one infected person. For example, if the R0 was 2, then one person with COVID-19 would likely spread the virus to two individuals.

In the Order, public and private gatherings remain limited to no more than 20 people, with certain exemptions for emergency response, grocery stores, gas stations and other essential industries. All hot tubs, spas, saunas, steam rooms, locker rooms, bike share, dog parks, and leisure swimming pools will remain closed to members, guests, patrons, and the general public.

Businesses, employees and members of the general public who have questions or concerns about the current Order are encouraged to call the Summit County Community Concerns Line (staffed Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) at 435-333-0050.

The Order can be viewed in its entirety at summitcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/10982/Joint-Public-Health-Order-2020-06-ORANGE-Phase. For current information on Summit County’s COVID-19 outlook, visit summitcountyhealth.org/coronavirus/. At this website, the public can also find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and community resources that are updated regularly as the pandemic situation evolves.

Summit County Issues New Joint Public Health Order, Lifts Stay At Home Order

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Summit County, Utah (April 30, 2020) — Effective at 12:01 a.m. Friday, May 1, Summit County officials will lift the current Stay At Home Order and the new Joint Public Health Order, 2020-05 (the Order), will go into effect. This new Order transitions Summit County to the Stabilization Phase of the COVID-19 response and lowers the current risk level in the county to Moderate.

“Due to the support and cooperation of our communities and the hard work of our healthcare services, we are ready to move to the next phase of our fight against COVID-19,” Summit County Health Director Dr. Rich Bullough said. “The public’s sacrifices made all the difference in flattening the curve, allowing us to lift the Stay At Home Order. As surges of the virus occur in surrounding areas, we continue to stress the importance of personal protection and continue to discourage unnecessary travel from outside the area.”

Summit County’s Joint Public Health Order 2020-05 provides business specific protocols for 32 different local business sectors developed in partnership with business and public representatives, municipalities, and county leadership through an extensive outreach effort. The Order, an expanded and refined version of Governor Gary Herbert’s Utah Leads Together Plan, was approved by Governor Gary Herbert and the Utah Coronavirus Task Force, details the gradual re-opening of business and commerce while preventing the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing and sanitization protocols, and restrictions on specific business activities.  It is recommended that all residents wear a non-surgical mask or face covering that completely covers the nose and mouth whenever possible in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

“This Order represents an exceptional effort by community members in coordination with staff of the municipalities and the county,” Summit County Council Chair Doug Clyde, said. “While the virus will remain with us for the foreseeable future, we can now take a step forward by cautiously reopening businesses. However, if we are to be successful in this effort, we will need the continued and full cooperation of the citizens of the County and the public that visits our businesses, in order to succeed."

In the Order, public and private gatherings are limited to no more than 20 people, with certain exemptions for emergency response, grocery stores, gas stations and other essential industries. All hot tubs, spas, saunas, steam rooms, locker rooms, bike share, dog parks, and leisure swimming pools will remain closed to members, guests, patrons, and the general public.

“It has always been the goal of our response to lift the Stay At Home Order as soon as it was safe to do so,” County Manager Tom Fisher said. “We look forward to businesses getting back to work under the new protocols outlined in this health order. Summit County is committed to supporting our communities through this transition.”

This Order is in effect until July 1 but will be reviewed in 14 days. At that point, the Order could be ended, extended, or modified. The Health Department will continue to monitor the County’s epidemiological data very closely throughout this new phase of the COVID-19 emergency. Should the data indicate new transmission of the COVID-19 virus or that the spread of the virus in Summit County has substantially increased, the County may be required to reinstate the Stay-at-Home Order.

Businesses, employees and members of the general public who have questions or concerns about compliance with the new Order are encouraged to call the Summit County Community Concerns Line at 435-333-0050. In addition to regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.), this line will be staffed from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3.

The Order can be viewed in its entirety at summitcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/10898/Joint-Public-Health-Order-2020-05---Stabilization-Phase-signed. For current information on Summit County’s COVID-19 outlook, visit summitcountyhealth.org/coronavirus. At this website, the public can also find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and community resources that are updated regularly as the pandemic situation evolves.

Summit County Health Department Announces In-House Delivery for Restaurants

Summit County, Utah (April 23, 2020) — Starting today, all permitted restaurants in Summit County can begin offering in-house delivery service. This announcement is the result of an appeal to Public Health Order 2020-01 that prohibited restaurants from initiating a new delivery service during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The health department has agreed to a series of safe and practical guidelines for permitted restaurants in Summit County to deliver food to the doorsteps of individuals throughout the County, including those who are unable to leave their place of residence due to health, transportation or other limitations.

“It has always been our goal to restore service as soon as it was safely possible to do so,” Summit County Health Deputy Director, Dr. Phil Bondurant said. “We anticipate this announcement to be the first of several in the coming weeks that will open additional operations in the county. It is vital that the community continues to practice social distancing and other measures to allow for these openings to stand.”

With this announcement, trained and certified restaurant staff are expected to adhere to the Summit County Health Code’s delivery protocols and standards while complying with the social distancing orders outlined in Joint Public Health Order 2020-03. At this time, all third-party delivery services for food items remain prohibited within Summit County. The Summit County, Environmental Health Division will provide registration information and operating guidelines to all permitted restaurants in Summit County starting today. Restaurant owners and managers who wish to register or have questions can contact the Environmental Health Division at  435-333-1502.

Summit County Responds to Governor’s Utah Leads Together 2.0 Plan and Unveils Strategy for Stabilization Phase of the COVID-19 Emergency

Summit County, Utah (April 16, 2020) – Summit County is unveiling a strategy and timelines for transitioning to the Stabilization Phase of the COVID-19 emergency beginning with the next Health Order revision on May 1, 2020. During the Stabilization Phase, the County will lift the stay-at-home order and gradually allow business and social activity to reopen under specific protocols that continue to protect the public and our health system from a surge of the COVID-19 virus.

“We commend the residents of Summit County for staying home and doing a great job to protect their community,” said County Council Chair, Doug Clyde. “Because of everyone’s efforts, we are able to begin the transition from the Urgent Phase of the emergency to the Stabilization Phase which will begin to allow citizens and business to get back to work.”

On April 17, 2020, Governor Herbert issued the Utah Leads Together 2.0 plan, outlining strategies and timelines for protecting health and reviving the economy. The Plan details steps to gradually “turn-up-the-dial” on economic and social activity according to a color-coded health risk guidance system that ranges from Red (high), through Orange (moderate) and Yellow (low), and finally to Green (the new normal).  Summit County and the State of Utah currently remain at the Red risk level. For details see the Utah Leads Together Plan at coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-leads-together/.

Summit County’s strategy for easing the current health orders and moving into and through the Stabilization Phase will rely on ongoing epidemiological data collection (testing results) concerning COVID-19 in Summit County, and in alignment with the Utah Leads Together 2.0 plan, to determine risk levels on an ongoing basis. The Summit County Health Department has been developing stabilization protocols, in collaboration with local businesses and industry sectors, with a goal of establishing reasonable sanitization standards and practices that will allow businesses to open while avoiding a second phase of increasing community spread of the virus that could lead to a “turning down the dial” scenario.

“Governor Herbert’s plan is a good plan,” said Dr. Richard Bullough, Summit County Health Officer. “I am pleased by how our County has performed during this pandemic. All decisions we have made in response to this virus have been data-driven and that will remain as we reactivate the economy. We have a plan for getting people back to work but the trigger points and how we adjust will be based on the data.”

In assessing current risk and trends, Summit County anticipates that it may be able to begin easing into the Stabilization Phase as soon as May 1. Industry sector and business representatives are currently being recruited to collaborate with the Health Department to further refine industry and business-specific protocols, building on work already compiled on the State, regional and local level, that will be due by April 27. The intent is for the County to operate under a new health order and stabilization plan that will be guided by and responsive to ongoing assessment of risk levels.

The health order will also provide guidance on special events and mass gatherings. Currently, mass gatherings are not allowed. The Governor’s Plan anticipates gatherings of up to 20 being allowed at the orange risk level and easing to gatherings of 50 sometime later in the Stabilization Phase.

Summit County officials thank the community, especially our local businesses and workforce, for their patience and perseverance during this emergency. We encourage everyone to stay vigilant in taking steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Please follow updates at summitcountyhealth.org/coronavirus.

Summit County Introduces Stabilization Working Group; Looking for Business Sector Representatives to Assist With Stabilization Process

Summit County, Utah (April 16, 2020) — Summit County announced the introduction of a Stabilization Working Group. This is the first step in the next phase of this COVID-19 emergency: the Stabilization Phase. This group, comprised of leaders from the County, local cities, business associations and non-profit organizations, anticipates that as we pass through the Urgent Phase of the emergency, businesses, organizations and commerce will be able to gradually and safely return to operations under specific conditions and guidelines. Public Health must continue to guide our conduct as a community in this phase. Operations that can be done safely while continuing to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus should be able to take place. To this end, Summit County has been working with some community representatives, neighboring counties, and the state to make this process as uniform and coordinated as possible. 

This working group is looking for individuals from the community to assist with the stabilization process by working directly with the County on establishing proposals for how economic sectors can return to work without spreading the COVID-19 virus. In order to be considered, the Working Group asks that interested representatives fill out an application.

The links below include a statement introducing this initiative, authored by the Stabilization Working Group, an open letter from Dr. Rich Bullough, Summit County Health Officer, and Tom Fisher, Summit County Manager, as well as a link to the online application form and a list of business sector descriptions.

Please share this information with your colleagues and come together to nominate your sector representative to apply. Those nominated representatives should apply before April 20, 2020.

Questions? Call Summit County Community Concerns at 435-333-0050.

• Stabilization Statement
• Open Letter to Businesses and Organizations
• Online Application Form
• Business Sector Descriptions

Summit County Aligns Expiration Dates of Existing Health Orders, Extends Declaration of Public Health Emergency Order

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Summit County, Utah (April 7, 2020) — Last night in public meeting, the Summit County Board of Health supported aligning the expiration date of all three existing Health Orders related to COVID-19 with the expiration date of May 1, which was established in the Joint Public Health Order 2020-03 (the “Stay-at-Home Order). The Public Health Emergency Order signed on March 12 was also extended to May 1. Aside from the expiration date, no changes were made to any Order.

“This decision was made to eliminate confusion and provide a consistent, congruent expiration date for these Orders,” Summit County Health Director Rich Bullough said. “We are doing all we can in coordination with our healthcare system to aggressively fight COVID-19 in Summit County and we are making progress. We will continue to look at when and how we can resume regular business operations and day-to-day life as the outlook allows. If we do this too soon, however, we’ll be right back where we started.”

Prior to this alignment, Orders 2020-1 and 2020-2 were to expire on April 14 and April 22, respectively. The Public Health Emergency Order was previously in effect until April 11. The following is a summary of each order. The full orders can be viewed under the “Declarations and Orders” section at summitcountyhealth.org/coronavirus.

• 2020-1: Order prohibiting dine-in food service and the closure of resorts, restaurants, taverns, bars, entertainment venues, fitness and exercise facilities, spas, churches, and other businesses in which people tend to gather.
• 2020-2: Order prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people, restrictions and limitations for commercial and residential building and construction work sites, restrictions and limitations to hair, nail and tanning salons, physical therapy clinics and services.
• 2020-3: Stay At Home Order requiring all businesses and residents to stay at home and cease non-essential travel and operations, prohibiting visitor travel to Summit County.

All three Public Health Orders will be reviewed prior to May 1. At that point, the Orders could be extended or modified. Businesses, employees and members of the general public who have questions or concerns about compliance are encouraged to call the Summit County Community Concerns Line at (435) 333-0050.

Summit County Issues Stay At Home Order to Residents

FAQs

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Summit County, Utah (March 25, 2020) — The Summit County Council, County Manager, and Health Director, in collaboration with the Summit County Board of Health and Mayors of the Cities and Towns of Summit County issued an Order requiring all residents to stay at home and cease non-essential travel and operations until at least May 1. This Order goes into effect Friday, March 27 at 12:01 a.m. and applies to non-essential businesses, services, and visitors in addition to residents.

“This decision was not made lightly but is in the best interest of public health in Summit County,” Summit County Health Director, Dr. Rich Bullough, said. “When you look at the data, Summit County is a hotspot for COVID-19 statewide, nationally and globally. At this time, Summit County has 20-times the number of cases per capita as Salt Lake County.  Our cases per capita rival those of the worst areas of New York City and many parts of Italy.”

As part of the Order, visitors in Summit County are asked to leave as safely and quickly as possible. Visitors planning future trips are asked not to visit Summit County for the duration of this Order.  Secondary home-owners who are not currently residing in the county are also asked to avoid the county.

“The County Council asks all residents to comply with this order to the fullest,” Summit County Council Chair, Doug Clyde, said. “You are the front line in this fight against COVID-19. We expect our hospitals to reach capacity and need the cooperation of every resident to ensure we do not overwhelm our local healthcare system. The actions of individuals will determine the course of this virus in our community.”

Under the order, county residents will be able to visit grocery stores, convenience stores and pharmacies for essential items such as food and medication. Residents may also attend necessary or urgent medical appointments. Residents are not barred from going outside but must practice social-distancing when visiting trails or other outdoor recreation areas. If social-distancing is not possible in these areas, they should be avoided.

Essential services that will still be allowed to operate include the following:

• Essential healthcare facilities
• Banks
• Hardware stores
• Plumbers, electricians, auto repair and other essential utilities and services.
• Farming
• Post offices
• Grocery and convenience stores
• Restaurants whose services are allowed under existing Health Orders
• Essential transportation services

“Our county government is working to support essential services and the COVID-19 response in our community while complying with these Orders,” County Manager, Tom Fisher, said. “These Orders are a necessary step to protect our population now and in the future.”

This Order is enacted until May 1 but will be reviewed after 14 days. At that point, the Order could be ended, extended or modified. This Order adds to previous mandates that went into effect on March 15 and March 23. Violations are punishable as a Class B Misdemeanor in Summit County. Businesses, employees and members of the general public who have questions or concerns about compliance are encouraged to call the Summit County Community Concerns Line at 435-333-0050.

To view the Order in its entirety, visit summitcountyhealth.org/coronavirus. At this website, the public can also find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and community resources that are updated regularly as the pandemic situation evolves.

To learn more about COVID-19, visit coronavirus.utah.gov or call 800-456-7707.

Health Department Announces Multiple Eastern Summit County COVID-19 Cases

Summit County, Utah (March 24, 2020) — To underline the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic to all county residents, the Summit County Health Department confirms multiple positive cases of the virus in both the North and South Summit areas of the county.

“There is a misconception that COVID-19 is only in the greater Park City area and this simply isn’t the case,” Dr. Rich Bullough, Summit County Health Director, said. “For days, we have encouraged residents across the county to assume the same level of caution. Not only are all areas of the county at the same level of risk, but every resident should assume that they have already been exposed to COVID-19. Now is not the time to let down your guard.”

Summit County’s first positive case of COVID-19 was on March 11. The first positive case of community spread was announced on March 14. Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. In the Summit County case, the patient had no history of travel and no known contact with any person who has been confirmed to have COVID-19. In the two weeks since the number of cases has continued to rise and was at 73 as of March 23. Dr. Bullough does not expect the case number growth to slow anytime in the near future.

“Due to insufficient tests available nation-wide, it is safe to assume that we have several times that number of cases in Summit County,” Bullough said. “We are in this for the long haul.”

In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, Summit County Government and its Health Department have enacted a series of emergency declarations and public health orders limiting food service, prohibiting gatherings of more than ten and other preventive measures.

“This pandemic will not cure itself overnight, or over the course of a month,” said Summit County Council Chair, Doug Clyde. “We ask the public to aid us in our fight against the spread of COVID-19 by complying with these Health Orders to their fullest extent. These efforts require diligence and patience from every group in every community in Summit County. One person who thinks the rules don’t apply to them can endanger our vulnerable population and drastically set back our efforts with their irresponsible actions.”

Visit summitcountyhealth.org/coronavirus for Summit County-specific information on COVID-19. At this website, the public can also find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and community resources that are updated regularly as the pandemic situation evolves.

To learn more about COVID-19, visit coronavirus.utah.gov or call (800) 456-7707.

Summit County Health Director Issues Public Health Orders on Gatherings and Additional Business Industries

Direction given to construction sites, salons, daycares, physical therapy clinics and more

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Summit County, Utah (March 23, 2020) — Summit County Health Director, Dr. Rich Bullough, and Summit County Attorney, Margaret Olson, issued further Public Health Orders necessitated by the continuing and immediate threat to public health from the COVID-19 virus. Effective immediately, the Order addresses the following:

• Gatherings of more than 10 individuals are prohibited. (Does not apply to critical government services or other necessary services such as shelters, residential care providers, grocery stores, convenience stores, or families living in the same household.)
• Restrictions and limitations for commercial and residential building and construction work sites.
• Restrictions and limitations to hair, nail and tanning salons, physical therapy clinics and services.
• Protocols for dental clinical services.

“Every Health Order we enact is to protect public health in Summit County,” Bullough said. “We are in the fight against COVID-19 for the long haul. Each proactive step we take today saves weeks and months of reactive measures down the road. Our efforts will be magnified by the cooperation of our communities.”

The Public Health Order will be re-evaluated in 14 calendar days but does not currently expire until April 22, 2020. At that point, the Order could be ended, extended or modified. This Order adds to a previous mandate on restaurant services that went into effect on March 15. Violations of the most recent Public Health Order are punishable as a Class B Misdemeanor in Summit County. Businesses, employees and members of the general public who have questions or concerns about compliance are encouraged to call the Summit County Community Concerns Line at 435-333-0050.

“This pandemic will not cure itself overnight, or over the course of a month,” said Summit County Council Chair, Doug Clyde. “We ask the public to aid us in our fight against the spread of COVID-19 by complying with these Health Orders to their fullest extent. These efforts require diligence and patience from every group in every community in Summit County. One person who thinks the rules don’t apply to them can endanger our vulnerable population and drastically set back our efforts with their irresponsible actions.”

To view the Order in its entirety, visit summitcountyhealth.org/coronavirus. At this website, the public can also find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and community resources that are updated regularly as the pandemic situation evolves.

To learn more about COVID-19, visit coronavirus.utah.gov or call (800) 456-7707.

Summit County Official Issues Public Health Order Prohibiting all Dine-In Food Service; Area Grocery and Convenience Stores to Remain Open

Additional public establishments impacted, including theatres, communal pools, hot tubs, locker rooms, saunas, steam rooms, fitness centers and spas

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Summit County, Utah (March 15, 2020) – Summit County Health Officer Dr. Rich Bullough with Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson issued a Public Health Order designed to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Summit County, Utah and guard against overwhelming the area’s healthcare systems, facilities and providers. Effective March 15, 2020 at 5:00 p.m., the Order requires the closure of resorts, restaurants, taverns, bars, entertainment venues, fitness and exercise facilities, spas, churches, and other businesses at which people tend to gather.

“We are very conscious of the public health goal of containing the COVID-19 virus to limit the speed of its spread through communities in order to prevent healthcare resources from becoming overburdened and unable to keep up with urgent demand,” said Bullough. “The kinds of businesses and facilities identified represent those for which the risk of community transmission is higher due to groups of people gathering, the potential for contact with virus particles due to proximity, the exchange of cash and credit cards. Given the recent case of community transmission arising from a local restaurant and bar establishment, it is prudent to enact these regulations. In addition, the nature of Summit County as a destination resort community raises the risk of transmission within Summit County from travelers coming here, as well as the risk that there may also be further transmission visitor to visitor that may contribute to infections outside of Summit County.”

While Summit County determined it is in the public interest to close restaurants, Summit County is concerned about impacting the ability of locals and visitors to still have access to food. Accordingly, the Order authorizes restaurants to continue operations on a limited basis through curbside take-out or drive through service on a non-cash basis. Cash transactions may be allowed to the extent a restaurant strictly follows stringent guidelines to separate money handling from food handling and implementing cleansing measures between each transaction in accordance with strict guidelines being developed by the Summit County Health Department. Restaurants will have 48 hours from the effective time of the Order to notify the Summit County Health Department whether or not they will implement curbside take-out service.

“We can’t emphasize enough the priority to still make food available. Curbside take-out or drive-thru food service is permitted, but third party food delivery services are prohibited. Following these orders will contribute to slowing the spread of COVID-19 cases in our community,” said Bullough. 

Pursuant to the Order and discussions between Park City and Summit County, Park City Transit will move to Spring service levels. The Summit County Health Department will not approve any new special event permits.

“We can’t emphasize enough how important it is at this time that we band together as a community. Go to the grocery store in an orderly manner. Be patient. Be kind. Look for opportunities to help those in need. If we all work together we’ll be able to overcome the impacts of this virus,” Bullough said.

This Order will expire on April 16, 2020 or thirty (30) days after the Effective Date of March 17, 2020, with the Summit County Health Officer re-evaluating this order in fourteen (14) calendar days. 

To view the Order in its entirety, visit summitcounty.org/coronavirus. At this website the public can find Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that are updated regularly as conditions evolve.

To learn more about novel coronavirus visit coronavirus.utah.gov or call (800) 456-7707.

New Case of COVID-19 in Summit County Signals Community Spread

En Español

Utah Department of Health (Click for more information)

Salt Lake City, UT (March 14, 2020) – The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and the Summit County Health Department (SCHD) today announced a new case of COVID-19 that is the first instance of community spread of the disease in Utah. 

Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. In the Summit County case, the patient had no history of travel and no known contact with any person who has been confirmed to have COVID-19.

“This is the first case of community transmission in Utah, and it reinforces the importance of all the community mitigation efforts we’ve been talking about for the past several weeks,” said Dr. Angela Dunn, state epidemiologist for the UDOH. “Everyone needs to continue to do their part: Stay home if you are sick, keep your kids home if they are sick, and practice good hygiene to avoid sharing your germs to others.”

The patient is a male Summit County resident, he is between the ages of 18 and 60, and is currently home recovering from his illness. The patient is an employee at the Spur Bar and Grill, and did report to work while he was symptomatic. Public health officials have interviewed the patient and believe the biggest potential risk is to his co-workers. The man’s job at the bar did not require him to interact for extended periods of time with customers.

“The patient’s employer has been extremely cooperative, and willingly closed last night to conduct a thorough cleaning of the establishment,” said Dr. Rich Bullough, executive director of the SCHD. “We have identified the case’s co-workers and are working to contact and interview all of them. While we don’t believe there is a high risk to patrons of the bar, if you have visited the Spur Bar and Grill since March 6 you should monitor yourself for symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath.”

The UDOH and the SCHD are working to identify other individuals who may have come into close contact with the patient while he was symptomatic. These individuals will be monitored by public health for fever and respiratory symptoms.

“Residents of Summit County should be assured that we are doing everything within our means to protect their health,” said Thomas C. Fisher, Summit County Manager. “On Thursday, Dr. Bullough and I signed local emergency declarations in anticipation of the very situation we have announced this morning. These declarations were not made lightly and will allow us to utilize emergency resources to combat the spread of COVID-19. Summit County, our municipalities and our other community partners are prepared and ready.”

Public health officials are still asking the public to avoid going to hospitals and clinics for COVID-19 testing if symptoms aren’t present. Instead, use telehealth or call your healthcare provider to find out if testing is necessary so that hospitals, clinics, and ERs and not overloaded. Health care facilities report the high volume of visits from healthy people is affecting their ability to provide care for those truly in need.

The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to what someone may be experiencing as the result of seasonal influenza – namely a fever, cough, or shortness of breath. These symptoms on their own are not worrisome and should not cause alarm. But if someone exhibits these symptoms who has recently traveled to areas with ongoing transmission of  COVID-19 or has been in close contact with a known positive case, that individual should notify their health care provider by telephone, who will coordinate the appropriate next steps.

There is currently no vaccine or antiviral treatment available for coronavirus and it is flu and respiratory disease season.

More information about novel coronavirus can be found at coronavirus.utah.gov or at cdc.gov/coronavirus. You may also call the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707.

Park City Municipal COVID-19 Update

En Español

Friday, March 13, 2020

Non-Essential Municipal City Facility Closure and Public Services Reduction

In alignment with Governor Herbert’s announcement regarding the dismissal of schools across the State of Utah, non-essential municipal services in Park City will be closed in order to align with Summit County and the Park City School District to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Specifically, the PC Ice Arena, Library and MARC are closed effective immediately, until March 30, 2020. Public access to services will be reduced at City Hall, the Police Department, and Public Works.

Limited staff will be present at public facilities that remain open during established operating hours. Patrons seeking to conduct business in person are strongly encouraged to email or call. A full staff directory is available at parkcity.org.

“Many of us are aware that the COVID-19 impacts were going to get worse before they got better. Thus, we are encouraging residents to take social distancing seriously, practicing some extra patience, and following the guidance being handed down from our hardworking Federal, State, and Local officials. The Park City community is strong and resourceful, and I am confident that we can each do our small part to help slow the spread of COVID-19.” -Steve Joyce, Park City Council member

“The closure of non-essential municipal services and facilities has been coordinated with our partners from Summit County and the Park City School District in order to provide clarity and consistency for the public. While I understand that some of the precautionary measures may be an inconvenience, they are being implemented out of an abundance of caution. Once again, we appreciate the community’s patience, understanding, and support.” - Matt Dias, Park City Manager

For up-to-date COVID-19 announcements and information, please follow the City’s social media platforms:

• Facebook (City Government of Park City, Utah)
• Instagram (@parkcitygovt)
• Twitter (@ParkCityGovt)

A Note from City Manager, Matt Dias

En Español

Employee and community health/safety is our top priority. Accordingly, please read carefully the update below regarding our approach to the ongoing Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 

On March 11, 2020, the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) confirmed our State’s third case of COVID-19, including a Summit County resident now recovering at home. Given the anticipated local impacts of COVID-19, we are taking the following actions:

• Monitoring & Collaborating: Closely monitoring and following all applicable recommendations from Summit County Health Department, UDOH, and Center for Disease Control;
• New COVID-19 Employee Policy: PCMC Employees must read the memo linked here and below to understand our new 60-day COVID-19 Policy that applies to ALL PCMC employees;
• Social Distancing: We are postponing large/non-essential, City-sponsored events, suspended non-essential business travel, and are offering flexible work-from-home arrangements ;
• Information: This website page has been created as a one-stop-shop dedicated to COVID-19. Ongoing updates will be provided regularly by our Emergency Response Team;
• Prevention: Building Maintenance has implemented new cleaning standards, and we encourage you to inform yourself of standard flu protocols and COVID-19 information (stay home if you feel sick, wash hands frequently, cover cough/sneeze, etc., prevent spread of germs);
• FAQ’s: To learn more on your own about COVID-19:
  • Utah Department of Health
  • Summit County Health Department
  • Utah Coronavirus Information Line: 1-800-456-7707