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SALT LAKE CITY — After spending several months in the orange COVID-19 restriction phase, Salt Lake City will join the majority of the state in the yellow restriction phase on Friday, officials announced on Wednesday.
Officials initially said the transition would take place Thursday but later corrected the information, saying it would become official on Friday.
The transition comes after the city has seen downward trending cases for the past 30-plus days, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said on Twitter.
The city has been more precautious than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health recommendations, which both asked for a 14-day period of downward COVID-19 cases, Mendenhall said.
The city, instead, has one month of data that shows cases in the area have been trending downward since July 13, she noted.
Additionally, Mendenhall said the two zip codes most impacted by the virus, 84104 and 84116, have recently seen “stabilization or reduction.” Mendenhall tweeted the incorrect zipcode 84108 but it was later corrected in a city news release.
“While this is good news, now is not the time to ease up on being responsible, wearing masks in public spaces, and keeping six feet of distance between you and others,” Mendenhall wrote on Twitter.
In the yellow phase, pools are allowed to open and groups of 50 people or fewer can gather with proper social distancing guidelines, according to state guidelines.
Entertainment venues and events are permitted so long as there is a 6-foot distance between patrons.
In contrast, under orange guidelines, gatherings of 20 or fewer people are allowed.
Residents of the city are still required to wear face coverings under yellow restrictions as part of the county's mask mandate.
In May, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson wanted the entire county to remain under the orange, or moderate-risk, restrictions, but Utah Gov. Gary Herbert denied the request.
Instead, Salt Lake City and a few other areas — Magna and West Valley City — where the infection rate was higher, were granted permission to remain under stricter restrictions.
Salt Lake City is the last area in Utah to move to yellow. Magna and West Valley City eased restrictions in late May.
Utahns who are considered high-risk are asked to remain under stricter restrictions regardless of where they live, health officials advised.
