CDC Community Levels Tool

Starting March 31, 2022, the Utah COVID-19 Transmission Index will be replaced by the CDC Community Levels tool. The CDC Community Levels use data to identify when a community is facing a low, moderate, or high risk from COVID-19.

Information published at the CoronavirusUtah.gov website.

The State of Utah has detailed specific instructions and guidelines for Counties and their cities under each of the levels of transmission. The level correspond directly to case rates, positivity rates, and ICU utilization.

Transmission index metric

Metric	Moderate level of transmission
7-day average percent positivity	≥ 5.1-9.9%
14-day case rate per 100K population*	≥ 101-324/100k
Statewide ICU utilization	Total utilization 69-71.9% AND 6-14.9% COVID-19 ICU Utilization

A transmission level (high, moderate, low) is determined if a county has two of the three metrics in the designated level of transmission.

*Frontier counties (those with fewer than six people per square mile) with less than or equal to 14 cases in the previous 14 days will automatically be designated as “low” transmission. Frontier counties with more than 14 cases in the previous 14 days will have their transmission level determined using the standard transmission index criteria.

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Actions for all individuals and businesses

Gathering safely

Such as family dinner, get togethers with friends, book club

Recommendation: Practice physical distancing and wearing a mask unless you are outdoors, by yourself or with members of your same household.

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On August 20, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall used the executive powers of the Office of the Mayor to issue an order requiring that masks be worn in K-12 schools in Salt Lake City.

The order requires all staff, visitors, members of the public, teachers, and students attending kindergarten through grade 12 at a public, charter, or private school in Salt Lake City, to wear a face mask when in any indoor area of the premises, on school-provided transportation, or attending an indoor school-sponsored activity, or outdoors on school premises when social distancing is not possible.

There are exceptions in the order for individuals with specific medical conditions. Other exceptions to wearing a mask include:

• While outdoors if the individual is maintaining at least six feet of physical distance from any other individual from a separate household; 
• While actively eating or drinking, provided that the individual remains in place while eating or drinking; 
• While alone or only with other members of the same household in a room, cubicle, school-provided transportation, or similar enclosure; 
• When communicating with an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing if:
  • Communication cannot be achieved through other means; and 
  • The speaker wears a face shield or uses alternative protection such as a plexiglass barrier; 
• While obtaining or providing a service that requires the temporary removal of the face mask, such as speech therapy services; 
• While actively performing as an athlete at a school organized or school sponsored athletic event; 
• While exercising or engaging in athletic training while:
  • Outdoors; or 
  • Indoors and maintaining at least six feet of physical distance from any other individual from a separate household; 
• While swimming or on duty as a lifeguard; or
• While rehearsing for or giving an educational, artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical presentation or performance for an audience at a school. 

The order will take effect immediately and be ongoing for thirty days unless an extension is authorized by the Salt Lake City Council by resolution or it is otherwise terminated.

Masks are recommended for crowded, indoor spaces where physical distancing is not possible.

Download Business Signs (Zip)  |  En Español (Zip)

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All businesses

• Refer to Business Manual
• May post signage listing COVID-19 symptoms, asking employees and customers with symptoms to stay home, and face mask or physical distancing requirements Download Business Signs (Zip)  |  En Español (Zip)

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Organized Events

Organizers of in-person events may choose to adopt the following recommendations to ensure the health and safety of attendees.

Masks are recommended for crowded, indoor spaces where physical distancing is not possible.

Consider using an Event Management Template for contact tracing purposes if COVID-19 cases are identified at the event.

May post signage listing COVID-19 symptoms, asking employees and customers with symptoms to stay home, and face mask or physical distancing recommendations. Download Business Signs (Zip)  |  En Español (Zip)

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Visit the Utah CoronaVirus page for a comprehensive look at the health guidance under the High Level of Transmission: https://coronavirus.utah.gov/

Please visit the state’s Coronavirus.gov website for all the information pertaining to the vaccine. https://coronavirus.utah.gov/vaccine.

Salt Lake County has also put together information on the vaccine for Health Care workers at https://slco.org/health/COVID-19/vaccine/.

On August 20, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall used the executive powers of the Office of the Mayor to issue an order requiring that masks be worn in K-12 schools in Salt Lake City.

The order requires all staff, visitors, members of the public, teachers, and students attending kindergarten through grade 12 at a public, charter, or private school in Salt Lake City, to wear a face mask when in any indoor area of the premises, on school-provided transportation, or attending an indoor school-sponsored activity, or outdoors on school premises when social distancing is not possible.

There are exceptions in the order for individuals with specific medical conditions. Other exceptions to wearing a mask include:

• While outdoors if the individual is maintaining at least six feet of physical distance from any other individual from a separate household; 
• While actively eating or drinking, provided that the individual remains in place while eating or drinking; 
• While alone or only with other members of the same household in a room, cubicle, school-provided transportation, or similar enclosure; 
• When communicating with an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing if:
  • Communication cannot be achieved through other means; and 
  • The speaker wears a face shield or uses alternative protection such as a plexiglass barrier; 
• While obtaining or providing a service that requires the temporary removal of the face mask, such as speech therapy services; 
• While actively performing as an athlete at a school organized or school sponsored athletic event; 
• While exercising or engaging in athletic training while:
  • Outdoors; or 
  • Indoors and maintaining at least six feet of physical distance from any other individual from a separate household; 
• While swimming or on duty as a lifeguard; or
• While rehearsing for or giving an educational, artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical presentation or performance for an audience at a school. 

The order will take effect immediately and be ongoing for thirty days unless an extension is authorized by the Salt Lake City Council by resolution or it is otherwise terminated.

Download a copy of the order here.

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Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall signed an Executive Order on July 28, 2021 aimed at preventing the continued spread of COVID-19 and protecting the health of City employees by requiring vaccinated and unvaccinated City employees and members of the public to wear a mask inside City facilities. The updated order follows new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that vaccinated individuals should resume wearing a mask when indoors.

City employees will be required to wear masks inside City facilities, City vehicles, or when acting within the scope of City employment indoors.

Visitors will be required to wear a face mask when they are inside a City facility.

There are exceptions within the executive order for individuals with specific medical conditions. Other exceptions to wearing a mask include:

• While actively eating or drinking, provided that the individual remains in place while eating or drinking;
• While alone or only with other members of the same household in an office, room, cubicle, vehicle, or similar enclosure;
• When communicating as or with an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing if the speaker wears a face shield or uses alternative protection such as a plexiglass barrier;
• When engaging in work authorized by the City where wearing a face mask would create a risk to the individual, as determined by government safety guidelines;
• When needed to confirm an identity;
• While outdoors and maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet from any individual from a different household; and
• Children younger than three years old.

This Executive Order is effective July 28, 2021 and will remain in effect until otherwise amended or rescinded.

To read the complete Executive Order visit  https://www.slcdocs.com/mayor/ExecutiveOrder_3_2021.pdf

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Other resources

For information o masks in the workplace visit: https://coronavirus.utah.gov/business/workplace-resources/

• Coronavirus Rumor Control – FEMA has set up a page with information on the response to coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Visit https://www.fema.gov/coronavirus-rumor-control
• Five myths about coronavirus – visit the Intermountain Healthcare blog at https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/live-well/2020/03/myths-about-coronavirus/.

Testing: If you have one or more of the symptoms of COVID-19 you should be tested immediately.

COVID-19 Testing Information: You can find testing information such as test locations at https://coronavirus.utah.gov/testing-locations/.

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For weekly schedules for the rapid testing mobile sites visite: https://coronavirus.utah.gov/free-covid-19-testing-expanded-across-utah/

Testing sites in Salt Lake County:

• Murray City School District Office Building #1, 5102 S. Commerce Drive Murray, Tuesday, 1/5 and Friday, 1/8 – 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (both days) Register here.
• Glendale Middle School Gym, 1430 W Andrew Ave, Salt Lake City, – Friday, 1/8 – 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 1/9 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Register here.
• Corner Canyon High School, 12943 S 700 E, Draper, Friday 1/8 – 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 1/9 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Register here.

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The Wellness Bus continues to offer testing for COVID-19 for the winter season at the Utah State Fairpark (155 N 1000 W, SLC, UT 84116 – Building 9). Testing is available with no out-of-pocket cost to anyone.

If someone has insurance, we will bill their insurance. All insurance plans are now covering the cost of the test.

People with or without symptoms can be tested. Tests will be conducted from your car. No cost to you whether you have insurance or not. Information will be kept confidential.

Schedule an appointment: 801-587-7012, 801-436-7118 (Spanish).

Additional Testing Locations: https://coronavirus.utah.gov/testing-locations/ Call 801-587-0712 to set up an appointment ahead of time.

Right now the best thing you can do is take recommended steps to deter the spread of illness:

• Stop handshaking and use other, no-contact methods of greeting
• Regularly wash your hands
• Create habits and reminders to avoid touching your face, and cover coughs and sneezes
• Disinfect surfaces like doorknobs, tables, desks, and handrails regularly
• Stay home if you are feeling sick
• Avoid contact with anyone who is sick
• Avoid sharing food and beverages

Visit the Utah Department of Public Health for more tips on how to protect yourself.