Coronavirus updates: Trump says US closer to testing international air travelers

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SALT LAKE CITY — Here are the latest coronavirus-related updates from Utah and around the world.

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Tuesday, 10:18pm

Trump says US closer to testing international air travelers

President Donald Trump said Tuesday his administration is considering requiring travelers on certain incoming international flights to undergo temperature and virus checks to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. “We’re looking at doing it on the international flights coming out of areas that are heavily infected," Trump said at the White House. “We will be looking into that in the very near future." Trump said it has not been determined yet whether the federal government or the airlines would conduct the testing. “Maybe it's a combination of both," he said. Trump's comments came during an event showcasing a loan program designed to help small businesses weather the coronavirus pandemic, the Paycheck Protection Program. He said the Small Business Administration has processed more loans in 14 days than it has in the previous 14 years. — Associated Press

Tuesday, 10:16pm

State to produce 2 million masks with 'a mask for every Utahn' project

State officials announced "a mask for every Utahn" project on Tuesday that he says is a step toward a “temporary new normal” as the state prepares for a soft reopening starting Friday. As part of the project, the Utah Manufacturers Association, along with Cotopaxi and 20 other manufacturers, will work produce 2 million masks to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus and potentially make it possible for the state to continue to open businesses. The project is funded through the federal Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, according to Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox. The Utah companies are participating at cost. — Ryan Miller, KSL.com

Tuesday, 10:07pm

Red to orange: What to expect when Utah switches to 'moderate risk' on May 1

As expected, Gov. Gary Herbert announced Tuesday that the state will move from a high to moderate risk beginning Friday. That will loosen some of the restrictions that have been in place for more than a month to limit the spread of COVID-19. That, of course, won’t mean life will return to what it was like before the coronavirus pandemic reached Utah in March. "This is not going back to business as usual. We’re not to that point yet," the governor said during a press conference from the Utah Capitol on Tuesday. "It means Utah still has risks for COVID-19. It’s out of an opportunity for us to open up more economic opportunities that we’re doing this, and it will only maintain itself at this new orange level if we have continued vigilance. So the onus is really on all of us to continue to do what we’ve been doing even as we open up opportunities economically." — Carter Williams, KSL.com

Tuesday, 04:18pm

Pence comes under fire for going maskless at Mayo Clinic

Vice President Mike Pence chose not to wear a face mask Tuesday during a tour of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, an apparent violation of the world-renowned medical center's policy requiring them.Video feeds show that Pence did not wear a mask when he met with a Mayo employee who has recovered from COVID-19 and is now donating plasma, even though everyone else in the room appeared to be wearing one. He was also maskless when he visited a lab where Mayo conducts coronavirus tests. — Associated Press

Tuesday, 02:55pm

Uintah County cancels fair amid COVID-19 pandemic

The Uintah County Fair, originally scheduled for June 4-6, has been canceled amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. Due to state gathering restrictions and health concerns, county officials felt it was best to cancel the fair, according to a post on the county's Facebook page. Postponing the fair was not a viable option, county officials said on Tuesday, due to several factors including scheduling complications and other economic concerns. Some fair events that typically bring smaller crowds will still be held, including the Uintah Basin Stock Show, the Dino-Mite Classic Jackpot Show and the Outlaw Trail Theatre and radios, officials said. Those events comply with the TriCounty health order and officials added that they would meet with a health officer for further guidance. This year’s fair budget will carry over into next year, officials said. “We look forward to seeing you all at the 2021 Uintah County Fair,” a county news release stated. — Lauren Bennett, KSL.com

Tuesday, 02:54pm

Utah to move into stablization phase of COVID-19 response on Friday

Starting Friday, Utah will transition from a state of high risk for COVID-19 to a state of moderate risk, Gov. Gary Herbert announced Tuesday. Friday, the state will transition to a less-restrictive but still cautious operating system, Herbert said. The transition will give the state an opportunity to open up some aspects of its economy, but it means there will still be risks to the public for COVID-19, Herbert said. “We can continue this trend in the right direction… as we now move into the stabilization phase," Herbert said. — Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Tuesday, 02:53pm

'A hopeless battle': Utah firefighter shares experience on the coronavirus frontlines in New York

Keyara Jenkins is used to the worry. It comes with the territory of being the wife of a Salt Lake City firefighter. She’s felt it for nearly a decade ever since her husband, Kris Jenkins, joined the fire department. But that worry currently feels a little different. Kris, who is also a trained nurse, is one of the dozens of Utah health care workers who have gone to New York City to help fight the novel coronavirus in the hardest-hit part of the country. For over a week, Keyara has heard his stories — stories of the hopelessness of treating patients on the verge of death and not being able to do anything to help; stories of how the virus takes life; stories of sadness of patients dying alone — and she’s coming to grips with a potential reality as Kris serves in the Intensive Care Unit of one of NYC’s designated COVID-19 hospitals: The virus may follow him home. — Ryan Miller, KSL.com

Tuesday, 12:57pm

110 new COVID-19 cases in Utah, 4 new deaths

Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 110 from Monday, with four new reported deaths, according to the Utah Department of Health. Tuesday’s totals give Utah 4,343 confirmed cases, with 370 total hospitalizations and 45 total deaths from the disease. Previously, there were 4,233 cases in the state. — Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com

Tuesday, 12:52pm

Gephardt: When the show won’t go on, what recourse do you have for a refund?

This pandemic is changing all our plans. Many eagerly anticipated shows and events have been canceled or postponed. But the KSL Investigators have heard from many Utahns who say they can’t get a refund on those shows. The law is clear: If you pay for a product and you don’t get it, you are due a refund. But as millions of Americans are learning the hard way, there is an important exception to the rule – tickets. — Matt Gephardt and Sloan Schrage, KSL TV

Tuesday, 12:51pm

'Price gouging' complaint filed against $800K anti-malarial drug sale to state

The group Alliance for a Better Utah filed a “price gouging” complaint Tuesday against the Utah pharmacy Meds in Motion, which last month sold the state 20,000 doses of anti-malarial drugs for $800,000 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “The people of Utah deserve to have this matter investigated,” Chase Thomas, Alliance for a Better Utah’s executive director, said in a prepared statement. — Katie McKellar, KSL

Tuesday, 10:12am

Bottleneck continues as businesses seek gov't relief loans

Banks trying to submit applications for thousands of small businesses seeking coronavirus relief loans have hit a bottleneck for a second day at the Small Business Administration. Banking industry groups said Tuesday the SBA’s loan processing system is still unable to handle the volume of loan applications from business owners trying to get aid under the Paychceck Protection Program, part of the government’s $2 trillion coronavirus aid program. — Associated Press

Tuesday, 10:11am

Lending experts: Get details before skipping mortgage payments

Don’t skip mortgage payments unless absolutely necessary, lending experts warned on Monday as concern and confusion pile up about potential consequences of forbearance programs. Because of the pandemic emergency, those with federally-backed home loans can request forbearance — which can pause or reduce payments for a limited period of time. “A forbearance does not mean that those payments aren’t due,” said Jeremy Holmgren with Zions Bank. — Ladd Egan, KSL TV

Tuesday, 10:09am

Utah business owners make changes, prepare to open their doors

Excitement has been building among many Utah business owners as they prepare to open their doors to customers, some planning as early as Friday. The Marie and Company Salon in Draper has been shut down for a month and a half. Owner Marie Gurr said they are anxious to start seeing customers again. “We are just super excited. We already have all of our color all stocked; we got clients texting and calling, ‘are you open;’ we’ve even been bribed to come to their houses,” Gurr said with a smile. — Dan Rascon, KSL TV

Tuesday, 07:04am

CDC compiles new guidelines to help organizations reopen

Businesses should close break rooms. Restaurants should consider disposable menus and plates. Schools should have students eat lunch in their classrooms. These are some of the recommendations offered in new federal plans designed to help restaurants, schools, churches and businesses safely reopen as states look to gradually lift their coronavirus restrictions. The draft guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been sent to Washington but still could be revised before the Trump administration unveils it to the public. The recommendations were obtained from a federal official who was not authorized to release them publicly. Read more about the guidelines here. — Associated Press

Tuesday, 07:04am

Senators Lee and Klobuchar ask for investigation of meat supply chain

Senators Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, are asking the nation’s top law enforcement agencies to investigate the meat supply chain. The senators sent a joint letter to Attorney General William Barr, FTC Chairman Heath Tarbert, and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, asking for those agencies to look into vulnerabilities in the U.S.meat supply chain. “As Americans have gone to buy groceries during this pandemic, they have often been confronted by higher prices for beef and pork products, or in some circumstances, nearly empty meat cases,” the senators wrote. — Colby Walker, KSL NewsRadio

Tuesday, 06:59am

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

Utah’s number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 110 from Sunday, with no new reported deaths, and the state has surpassed 100,000 tests conducted, according to the Utah Department of Health.

Nations and U.S. states have begun easing coronavirus lockdowns, each pursuing their own approach but all with a common goal: restarting their economies without triggering a new surge of infections.

Hospitals in New York are giving COVID-19 patients heartburn medicine to see if it helps fight the virus, according to the doctor who initiated the trial.

Read all of Monday's coronavirus coverage here.

Coronavirus updates: Trump says US closer to testing international air travelers

Updated - April 28, 2020 at 10:19 p.m. | Posted - April 28, 2020 at 7:04 a.m.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump says US closer to testing international air travelers

State to produce 2 million masks with 'a mask for every Utahn' project

Red to orange: What to expect when Utah switches to 'moderate risk' on May 1

Pence comes under fire for going maskless at Mayo Clinic

Uintah County cancels fair amid COVID-19 pandemic

Utah to move into stablization phase of COVID-19 response on Friday

'A hopeless battle': Utah firefighter shares experience on the coronavirus frontlines in New York

110 new COVID-19 cases in Utah, 4 new deaths

Gephardt: When the show won’t go on, what recourse do you have for a refund?

'Price gouging' complaint filed against $800K anti-malarial drug sale to state

Bottleneck continues as businesses seek gov't relief loans

Lending experts: Get details before skipping mortgage payments

Utah business owners make changes, prepare to open their doors

CDC compiles new guidelines to help organizations reopen

Senators Lee and Klobuchar ask for investigation of meat supply chain

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

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Coronavirus updates: Trump says US closer to testing international air travelers

Updated - April 28, 2020 at 10:19 p.m. | Posted - April 28, 2020 at 7:04 a.m.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump says US closer to testing international air travelers

State to produce 2 million masks with 'a mask for every Utahn' project

Red to orange: What to expect when Utah switches to 'moderate risk' on May 1

Pence comes under fire for going maskless at Mayo Clinic

Uintah County cancels fair amid COVID-19 pandemic

Utah to move into stablization phase of COVID-19 response on Friday

'A hopeless battle': Utah firefighter shares experience on the coronavirus frontlines in New York

110 new COVID-19 cases in Utah, 4 new deaths

Gephardt: When the show won’t go on, what recourse do you have for a refund?

'Price gouging' complaint filed against $800K anti-malarial drug sale to state

Bottleneck continues as businesses seek gov't relief loans

Lending experts: Get details before skipping mortgage payments

Utah business owners make changes, prepare to open their doors

CDC compiles new guidelines to help organizations reopen

Senators Lee and Klobuchar ask for investigation of meat supply chain

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

Related links

KSL.com coronavirus coverage

Most recent News stories

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USU uses Roblox and Minecraft to reach potential students in the virtual world

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