Gov. Herbert sets a new deadline of September 1, 2020.
The best way Utah is going to slow the spread of COVID-19 is by working together to keep one another safe. After a single-day case count of 868 cases on July 9, Gov. Gary Herbert, contemplating a statewide mask mandate, challenged Utahns to get the 7-day rolling average of case counts below 500 by August 1. (Gov. Herbert has also preapproved local jurisdictions to implement mask orders. He has said that a statewide mandate is a tool that could be used, but he would rather see people wear masks because it’s the right thing to do.)
Utahns have been responding with more mask wearing and other healthy behaviors, such as social distancing and hand washing, in various areas and the case numbers have begun to go down. You can see the 7-day rolling average at Coronavirus.utah.gov/case-counts.
As of August 7, the 7-day rolling average was 443 cases.
Even though case counts and averages are just part of the daily story of COVID-19 data, we know that high case counts statistically lead to more hospitalizations, the chance to overwhelm hospitals, and more deaths.
“We’re not spiking the football yet,” said Utah Gov. Gary Herbert following decreases in the 7-day rolling average below 500. But the decreases are encouraging as more businesses and organizations have begun requiring mask wearing indoors. The Utah Department of Health recently included mask wearing questions in its weekly phone survey to Utah households.
The data were collected through random, telephone (cell and landline) surveys with 342 adult Utah residents over the past week. The data are self-reported, not actual observations. The survey is still in the field, and new data will come in weekly.
- 82% of adults report “always or usually” wearing a mask while in public.-18-34 year olds, and those older than 65 report the highest rates (85% and 89% respectively)
- Women are more likely than men to “always or usually” wear masks in public (85% to 79%)
- Females older than 65 are the most likely group to “always or usually” wear masks in public (90%)
Keep up the good work, Utah.