SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — State leaders expect to lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions next Friday, May 7. The only exception will be for K-12 schools, where masks will still be required.
For restrictions to be lifted, House Bill 294, commonly referred to as the coronavirus “endgame” bill, tracks three criteria.
Case rates per 100,000 population and current ICU use are two metrics already below their thresholds. The third metric is when 1.633 million prime doses of vaccine are allocated to Utah.
Each Friday, the state finds out the prime dose allocation for the following week, and on May 7, state leaders expect to find out Utah has surpassed 1.633 million prime doses. That would trigger the final metric, immediately lifting restrictions.
Business will have the freedom to impose restrictions, if they choose.
“A lot of us haven’t enjoyed what we’ve been doing for this last year,” said Madison Kent, a floor manager at The Green Pig Pub.
Kent says lifting restrictions will be a game changer
I can’t wait to go tell everybody, and we’re going to get back to normal — hopefully get everybody back in here,” Kent said.
Kent says getting back to normal won’t happen overnight for the pub, and they’ll keep tables spaced and protective barriers up for now.
“I think that would still make people feel a little uncomfortable if we just crammed everybody back in here on a weekend, but we’ll slowly get into it and make it work out,” Kent said.
When the restrictions are lifted, the transmission index goes away, the limit on gatherings and wearing masks goes away, restaurants and bars won’t be required to keep 6 feet of distance or require masks.
“Really, what we’re doing is we are putting the responsibility for protection on all of the individuals,” said Joe Dougherty with the state’s COVID response team.
A Salt Lake City spokesperson sent 2News the following statement:
When the metrics identified in HB 294, the legislature’s ‘endgame bill,’ are met, the city’s emergency order is no longer effective. The city will still require masks in all city facilities, and will continue encouraging people to wear life-saving masks while COVID remains a risk to public health.”
