We wanted to provide you with an update on the Governor’s newly announced statewide mask mandate and community restrictions. After thorough ongoing discussions with the Governor’s office, the CDC director, and state and local health departments regarding schools, it is the recommendation of health experts that schools NOT be dismissed.
We reiterate our commitment to following state health department guidance and recommendations rather than substituting our own opinions. Our contact tracing efforts, in conjunction with the Salt Lake County Health Department indicate that less than 3% of confirmed transmission is happening at school. The overwhelming majority of COVID-19 cases are being transmitted in off-campus social and family interactions.
While we know that schools continue to be a safe place, we need to continue to be vigilant in our efforts to follow state health guidance. As a reminder, you can continue to monitor cases impacting your school on our live dashboard.
In accordance with the Governor’s announcement, winter sports and all other extra-curricular (non-academic) activities are postponed until the current order ends on November 23rd. School-sponsored academic offerings before and after-school directly related to delivering instruction may proceed. Additional information will be provided by your respective schools. Social and family gatherings should be limited to the same household only.
In the meantime, we can all slow the spread by adhering to this statewide mask mandate, which requires mask-wearing in all public places. Please encourage your students to wear a mask in public areas even after they have left our campuses. We are all in this together, and our individual choices and actions affect the community and state as a whole.
Learn more by reviewing the Utah Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions document. Thank you for your efforts to help keep our schools and communities safe.