Utah Declares State Of Emergency Amid Surge, Orders Residents To Mask Up

A new surge in coronavirus cases across the state have sparked a two-week state of emergency. Governor Gary R. Herbert ordered Utah residents to mask up "for the foreseeable future," according to NBC News.

Herbert issued a statewide mask mandate on Sunday night as part of the emergency orders directing Utah residents to limit social gatherings to their own household to combat the state's current COVID-19 surge, according to KSL.

Herbert stated, "We must do more, and we must do it now. This is about much more than just mandates This is about personal responsibility."

Both orders go into effect Monday at 1 p.m. and will remain until at least Monday, November 23rd.

The orders have four key requirements:

• a statewide mask mandate in public where six feet of physical distancing is not possible
• limiting casual social gatherings to household-only
• a two-week hold on extracurricular activities such as sports
• mandatory weekly testing for COVID-19 by all higher-education students in public and private institutions that live on campus or attend at least one in-person class per week

Herbert stated, "I ask you now, and I implore you, to do everything within your power to stop the spread of this disease. The day will come when we won't have to wear masks or social distance- when we will be ale to see everyone we love and care about, and give hugs and handshakes without worrying about unknowingly spreading this disease. I hope this day will come sooner rather than later."

Photo: Getty Images

Source: KSL and NBC NEWS