On May 4, I was joined by the Utah County Health Department and the Utah County Commission to release Provo’s COVID-19 recovery plan: Proceed with Caution. This plan outlined necessary restrictions to safely move our facilities from Red (High Risk) to Orange (Moderate Risk) using the guidelines established by the Utah Coronavirus Task Force. The Task Force, along with the Utah Department of Health and other experts determine state risk levels, including any exceptions to the designated risk level.
Opening the Economy: From Orange to Yellow
On May 15, Governor Herbert released an Executive Order moving the Utah COVID-19 public health risk status from Orange (Moderate Risk) to Yellow (Low Risk), including Utah County and Provo City.
While the loosening restrictions came more quickly than we anticipated, and perhaps sooner than some of us are comfortable with, we feel confident the data cited and the health expertise support the decision to further continue opening our economy.As such, Provo City will institute “Yellow” restrictions in all facilities effective Tuesday, May 19.
The Governor’s Executive Order calls out the following reasons for reducing restrictions:
Utah has maintained a COVID-19 transmission rate of less than 1.5 percent for 14 days, and statewide intensive care unit bed usage has not exceeded 10% for 14 days.
The Utah Department of Health agrees that some areas should remain at Orange (Moderate Risk) but did not include Utah County or Provo City in those exceptions.
Before making our decision to follow the State’s lead, we consulted with the Utah County Health Department and received similar direction.
Proceed with Caution
We deliberately and thoughtfully chose the phrase, “Proceed with Caution” to guide Provo City’s response because it captures the balance between cautiously opening our economy and minimizing health risks. From the initial outbreak, our response has been and will continue to be one of calm preparedness. Decisions are made based on current data and by consulting experts with Utah’s Coronavirus Task Force and both Utah County and State health departments.
Yellow Guidelines
To learn more about the State’s color-coded health guidance system outlined in Utah Leads Together, visit the State’s website at coronavirus.utah.gov.
More information can also be found on our information website at covid19.provo.org.
Provo has always been a community that comes together during times of need—and I know we will rise to the occasion now. Thank you to all for your continued efforts to help us keep Provo safe. I believe that if we all continue to follow the health guidelines outlined from the State and on Provo’s COVID-19 website, we will be able to continue to enjoy the things that give our life meaning, while remaining safe and healthy.
Thank you to all for your continued efforts to help us keep Provo safe. As many of us begin to enjoy a little more normalcy in our lives, let’s continue to adhere to social distancing and other guidelines. Please view the following guidelines for low risk:
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