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SALT LAKE CITY — Masks are returning to Vivint Arena
Following the Salt Lake County Health Department's lead, Vivint Arena announced Friday it would be enforcing the new mask mandate for all events at the arena, including Utah Jazz games.
The 30-day mask order from the county health department will begin at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8 and continue to Feb. 7. All Jazz home games and other events at the arena, including Monster Jam, Harlem Globetrotters and the JoJo Siwa concert, will be subject to the new mandate.
Individuals actively eating or drinking at arena events are temporarily exempt from wearing their mask.
The new order requires all those in Salt Lake County to wear "well-fitting" masks when indoors or lining up outdoors in public, regardless of vaccination status.
The Salt Lake County Council does have the power to overturn the health order. When asked whether the County Council would call a meeting to vote to overturn the mandate or let it stand, Abby Evans, senior policy adviser to the council, said in an email to KSL.com, "As it stands right now, no."
Vivint Arena's current policy requiring a proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test will remain along with the mask mandate. Previously, the Jazz had encouraged masks during events, but did not require them.
There has been a surge of new cases in the country, along with the rest of the state, due to the highly-contagious Omicron variant. On Friday, the health department reported a record 4,625 cases in Salt Lake County.
