Due to the continual increase in COVID-19 cases throughout Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert approved requests from multiple state officials to mandate face masks in Salt Lake and Summit counties.
The mandates went into effect 12:01 a.m. Saturday and require citizens to wear masks when social distancing is not feasible.
In addition to people with disabilities, children two years old and younger do not have to wear masks. Other exceptions include people with health conditions or jobs that restrict the use of a mask, such as deaf and hard-of-hearing persons who rely on reading lips.
People eating in a restaurant or working out in a gym do not have to wear a mask during activity.
Salt Lake Community College will follow both county and state mandates.
“We will be requiring all students and employees to wear masks when in public spaces and outside where social distancing isn’t possible,” SLCC President Deneece Huftalin wrote in an email.
The mandate, however, received some criticism.
According to the Deseret News, Piute County Commissioner Darin Bushman compared Herbert to Adolf Hitler in a now-deleted tweet.
“Hang on friends, it won’t be long before you are required to do a Sieg Heil Salute to Herbert,” Bushman tweeted. “Welcome to Utah now extend your right arm straight at 45 degrees keeping your hand parallel to your arm and offer your ‘Heil Herbert.’”
Bushman later tweeted an apology.
Sorry if you found my tweet offensive. I have removed it so as not to further offend. My apologies.
— Darin Bushman – (Personal Account) (@darinbushman) June 26, 2020
Salt Lake County’s mask mandate will remain in effect through July 3, when it will be reevaluated. Summit County’s mask requirement will remain in place through Sept. 1.
