Utah coronavirus updates for Monday: Mitt Romney's plan to send every worker $1000 - Salt Lake Tribune

Editor’s note: The Salt Lake Tribune is providing readers free access to critical local stories about the coronavirus during this time of heightened concern. See more coverage here.

It’s Monday, March 16. We’ll provide the latest coronavirus updates involving Utah, but just in case you missed it here’s a rundown on recent stories:

11:25 a.m. Gov. Herbert announces economic task force

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert announced Monday the creation of an economic task force that will work in conjunction with the Utah Coronavirus Task Force to address the economic impact of the coronavirus. Its first meeting will be Tuesday at 9 a.m.

11:15 a.m. Salt Lake County puts restrictions on restaurants and bars

Restaurants and bars in Salt Lake County will halt all sit-down service beginning at 11 p.m. Monday, the county Health Department announced, in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Mayor Jenny Wilson declared a public health emergency that will extend for no more than 30 days and violations would be a class B misdemeanor.

Guests, however, will be able to order meals online for pick-up. Delivery from third-party companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash also will be available.

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The county is following the lead set by Summit County, which on Sunday issued a sweeping order to close all businesses where people gather. Grocery stores will remain open.

“During this time of national crisis, we are proud of our restaurant and bar owners in Salt Lake County and the lead they have taken to do what we know is best for our community,” said Michele Corigliano, director of the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association. “As much of a hardship this will be for our business owners, we have seen an outpouring of love and concern for their employees and the difficulties they face. Our restaurant owners will now focus on serving guests the best they can, keeping within strict food safety policies, as take out and delivery will be their main focus.”

— Kathy Stephenson

11 a.m.: Utah government to send many more workers home

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has directed state agencies to speed up teleworking initiatives in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The opportunity and responsibility falls upon all of us to continue to provide essential government services to the citizens of our state and to minimize the disruption to our operations that comes from a pandemic,” two top advisers to Gov. Gary Herbert wrote in a message sent last Thursday.

The message instructed state agencies to take several immediate steps — designate a telework department coordinator; set aside resources for the expedited rollout; figure out which jobs can be performed remotely; and review a guide for introducing teleworking.

Agencies are expected to report their progress and prepare an action plan with a list of employees eligible to work from home, according to the letter by Justin Harding, Herbert’s chief of staff, and Kristen Cox, who heads the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget.

"The State of Utah must lead by example, ensure the health of its employees, and plan for all scenarios," the message concluded.

The state began introducing telework to some of its agencies in 2018 as a way of easing building space needs, cutting down on tailpipe pollution and increasing employment opportunities in rural Utah.

Productivity went up by more than 20% among the 136 employees who participated in the pilot program, and officials reported the work-from-home experiment prevented 273 pounds of carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere.

— Bethany Rodgers

10:30 a.m.: The bookmobile serving rural Utah is shutting down

The Utah State Library is shutting down its bookmobile service for at least two weeks, beginning Monday.

Bookmobiles serve rural areas of the state, including all or parts of Garfield, Kane, Piute, Iron, Millard, Sanpete, Sevier, Juab, Wayne, and Utah counties.

“With schools statewide closed until March 30 and many public buildings also closed, it isn’t feasible or safe for the bookmobiles to continue operating,” according to a library release.

It will “follow the guidance of local and state health officials in determining when service can resume.

”Utah’s Online Public Library will continue to operate, offering eBooks, audiobooks, movies and online learning at onlinelibrary.utah.gov.

— Scott Pierce

9:45 a.m.: Sen. Mitt Romney wants to give every worker $1,000

Washington • Sen. Mitt Romney wants to give working Americans a one-time payment of $1,000 to help during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Utah Republican said Monday that urgent action is needed to aid workers and he wants a direct payment included in congressional legislation now being debated.

Romney also proposes “bridge grants” to small businesses in need.

The House passed an economic stimulus bill last week and the Senate is poised to vote on it in the coming days.

“We also urgently need to build on this legislation with additional action to help families and small businesses meet their short-term financial obligations, ease the financial burden on students entering the workforce, and protect health workers on the front lines and their patients by improving telehealth services,” Romney said in a statement. “I will be pushing these measures as Senate discussions continue about an additional relief package.”

— Thomas Burr

9:20 a.m.: Utah’s Grand Princess passengers have returned

Almost two dozen Utahns who were passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship returned to the state Sunday on a flight chartered by the federal government.

According to the Utah Department of Health, the 23 Utahns spent a week in quarantine after being evacuated from the ship after more than 20 people on board tested positive for COVID-19. None of the Utahns shows any symptoms, and all of them “either tested negative or are awaiting test results.”

The plane carrying the 23 Utahns landed at the Utah Air National Guard base, where they were met by Health Department staff and reunited with family members and friends, who took them home.

The Utahns will be quarantined in their homes for an additional two weeks, and will continue to be monitored by state or local health departments “dependent upon their individual situations," according to health officials. “They pose no additional risk to the community.”

Another 14 Utahns remain quarantined in California and Texas.

— Scott Pierce

9 a.m.: Rural Utah counties warn against travel

There have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Daggett, Duchesne and Uintah Counties, but officials there are asking residents to voluntarily avoid travel.

“In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state, we are asking residents to strongly reconsider any recreational, leisure and non-essential work-related travel that will take them outside of our communities,” TriCounty Health Officer Jordan Mathis wrote in a news release.

The travel advisory went into effect Monday and will continue “until further notice.”

“Compliance with this advisory will aid our statewide efforts to limit the speed of the spread of the virus and prevent our local and state healthcare resources from becoming overburdened,” Mathis wrote.

— Scott Pierce

8 a.m.: The latest closure? Utah’s comedy clubs.

Wiseguys Comedy Clubs have shut down all three locations through the end of March.

Cancellations include performances by Kevin Nealon, Sam D’Antuono, Shane Mauss and Dulce Sloan.

The closure affects the downtown Salt Lake City, Jordan Landing and Ogden locations.

“We care deeply about our customers, employees and comedians and feel that this is the best decision at this time,” said owner Keith Stubbs. “This won’t be easy for any of us. Hopefully, we can get through this quickly and resume business as usual.”

— Scott Pierce

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