SALT LAKE CITY, UT – On September 17, 2021, the Chief Justice, on behalf of the Utah Judicial Council, issued an administrative order which included a mask mandate in all court facilities located in a county designated by the Utah Department of Health as a medium or high transmission index county. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently updated its guidance on mask use, uses the term community levels rather than transmission index, and no longer recommends wearing a mask in a county with low or medium community levels of COVID-19, unless an individual is unvaccinated or at higher risk for COVID-19. In light of the new CDC guidelines, an amendment is warranted to the part of the Judicial Council’s September 17, 2021 Administrative Order that mandates the wearing of a mask in court facilities.
It is therefore ordered as follows:
· This order is effective on Monday, March 7, 2022.
· The mask mandate is rescinded for a court located in a county that has been designated by the CDC as a low or medium community level of COVID-19.
· An individual who desires to wear a mask in a court facility shall be permitted to do so, unless a judicial officer determines that there is good cause to require the individual to temporarily remove the mask. The Judicial Council strongly encourages unvaccinated and high-risk individuals to continue to wear a mask in accordance with CDC recommendations.
· The mask mandate in the September 17, 2021 Administrative Order is still in effect for court facilities located in a county designated by the CDC as high community levels. https://www.cdc.gov/
· Each judicial district shall designate an individual to weekly check the CDC designation for the county in which court facilities in that district are located, and adjust the mask requirement for court facilities in accordance with the CDC community levels and this order.
Throughout the pandemic the judiciary has consistently focused on the safety of court personnel and patrons. The courts will continue that focus while also recognizing the benefits associated with vaccination. The courts will continue to screen employees and jury trial participants for any COVID symptoms and continue to follow CDC precautions. Many court proceedings will also continue to be held remotely.
In Wasatch County, Utah, community level is Medium.
- If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
