SALT LAKE CITY – Gov. Spencer Cox said Thursday he is optimistic about UTAh’s COVID-19 transmission trends, but is unwilling to completely eliminate state guidelines for coronavirus, such as the state’s mask mandate, until they be vaccinated more Utahn.
The governor made his comments after being asked about the growing pressure to ease restrictions inside and outside the state. Cox said he understood the frustrations, but compared them to the risks associated with reversing the course.
The seven-day average of state cases fell by 78% between January 1 and Thursday. The seven-day average was 558 new cases on Thursday, which is the lowest statistic since September last year. At the same time, Cox announced that the state is about to open vaccine eligibility to all Utah adults by April.
“We are in a very, very, very great place. I would like to do something to stop us when we are so close, but again, I don’t want these restrictions in place for a day longer than is absolutely necessary, “he said.
The pressure Cox is facing in connection with COVID-19 state restrictions begins in the Utah state chapter. For example, the State House of Representatives passed a “final” pandemic bill that would lift the state’s masked mandate and other pandemic-related guidelines issued by the state and the Utah Department of Health. He’s still waiting for Senate approval. The Senate approved SB195, which limits powers during public health emergencies.
Cox said on Thursday that the bills may not even be necessary, especially since most counties in the state are no longer in “high” transmission locations. He added that the data indicate that the remaining 11 counties in that category could move in the coming weeks.
Once a county reaches the “moderate” transmission level, the mask mandate remains in effect, but there is no public assembly limit. This means that sports venues and theaters can have non-concessional seats next to each other if people wear masks.
The governor said there was “a lot of good things” in the bill, but questioned its timetable. That’s why he said he would look at the final bill on his desk before making a decision to sign or veto it if the Senate should approve it.
“I hate that we’re fighting again now. We’re so close to the end of this,” Cox said. “We’re all so close. The end is in sight.”
Then there is the pressure outside the state. Mississippi and Texas made headlines earlier this week when their governors announced they would lift restrictions on the coronavirus, including crowd size and mask recommendations. The Texas order goes into effect next week.
“Removing state mandates does not end personal responsibility; only state mandates are no longer needed,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday.
But Cox also called for caution about what other states have decided. He dismissed comments from outside states as words from “people who want to run for president” by doing “things you can do to get attention.” Cox added that he does not know if these measures will lead to increases in new cases, noting that it is still difficult to design when exact trends will emerge after a year of coronavirus treatment.
Instead, the governor narrowed his attention to what he and his staff could do about it – and that is vaccines.
“I know what we have are vaccines and what I know is that these vaccines work. And what I do know is that if we vaccinate more people, then people won’t die and then we won’t have to wear masks at all, “he said.” That’s why I’m really excited and the sooner we get there. better”.
Cox added that he believed Utah had found a balance that allowed the state to keep many aspects of the economy open while mitigating COVID-19 deaths.
He pointed out that the number of deaths per capita in Utah due to COVID-19 is much lower than most states, including Texas. That’s why we sometimes had fewer restrictions than most American states.
“I think we’re doing it right … We weren’t perfect. We did a great job, but, yes, we’ll feel pressure,” Cox said. “Everyone will feel the pressure to open up quickly.”
Although this is the final game he wants, it is something he said can only happen when enough Utahns have been vaccinated.
“We’re in this boat and we’re trying to get ashore. And we’re in a place where we can see the shore. And if you’re a healthy swimmer, you can jump out and do it, but we have some unhealthy swimmers,” Cox said. analogy made by the executive director of the Utah Department of Health, Rich Saunders. “We would really like to vaccinate them. It’s very important.”
Cox also defended the masks as the “least intrusive” measure a state can have in keeping aspects of the economy open.
Meanwhile, public health officials were more nervous about out-of-state decisions. Dr. Angela Dunn, the state’s epidemiologist, said public health experts become concerned when other states make decisions that could lead to an increase in the number of new cases in places outside those states.
It is noteworthy that both state and local tourism experts have identified Texas as one of the main places for people from outside Utah to visit the state and national parks in Utah in the past year.
“As we know, this virus does not respect borders – even international borders,” Dunn said. “We’re as confident as our weakest state. So if it spreads to Texas or another state, it certainly puts Utahns more at risk of spreading.”
She added that it is therefore important for Utahns to continue working to ensure that new COVID-19 cases remain low, which means wearing masks in public and physically distancing yourself when possible.
Dunn also said it is important for Utahns to be vaccinated when given the opportunity. This is especially true with the possibility of introducing new coronavirus variants that are more likely to spread faster.