Utah National Guard Fact Checks Rumor About Nationwide Quarantine

No, the United States is not shutting down for a two week quarantine, contrary to rumors being shared on social media.

The Utah National Guard took to Twitter on Monday to debunk the myth that the president is ordering a mandatory quarantine and that the military and National Guard will enforce it.

The flyer that's been passed around on social media claims that the president will use the Stafford Act and troops will be in place to prevent looters while everyone stays at home. The flyer also has the National Guard logo on it to make it look legitimate.

Both the White House Security Council and the U.S. National Guard debunked the rumor in March, but it started circulating against after Governor Gary Herbert declared a state of emergency because of COVID-19 in Utah on Sunday.

Herbert's declaration included pandemic-related restrictions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The state of emergency extended a statewide mask mandate, reminds people and businesses to social distance and avoid large gatherings, and made weekly COVID-19 tests mandatory for college students.

The Utah National Guard has been assisting the state since the beginning of the pandemic. Soldiers are helping in mobile testing sites and with contact tracing, and have been used to make face masks and translate documents for the state's health department.

Photo: Getty Images