Salt Lake County Health Department wants K-6 students wearing masks

Photo: Kelly Sikkema

SALT LAKE CITY — On Tuesday, Angela Dunn, executive director of the Salt Lake County Health Department, issued an “order of constraint” requiring children under the age of 12 to wear facemasks in school.

Dunn made the announcement during a press briefing.

“It is in the best public health interest and the interest of our students for them to be in masks in the fall to keep them in in-person learning with the least disruption possible, and then least health concerns possible,” FOX 13 reported Dunn saying.

Mayor Erin Mendenhall supports the move — on Tuesday, she sent a letter to the Salt Lake County Council asking them to support the decision.

“The potential for 3 0r 4 children a week to be hospitalized with COVID-19 unless they wear a mask in schools is too great a risk,” Mendenhall wrote in a tweet alongside the letter.

The potential for 3 or 4 children a week to be hospitalized with COVID-19 unless they wear a mask in schools is too great a risk. That’s why this afternoon I asked the county council to support @DrAngelaCDunn‘s expertise should she recommend a mask requirement for K-12 schools. pic.twitter.com/Lh8WHcDjd5

— Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) August 10, 2021

The order, which only applies to indoor settings, can remain in place for 30 days unless it is reversed by the County Council.

According to KSL, County Council Chairman Steve DeBry said that he will be calling a special meeting of the council on Thursday afternoon. They will “vote on a resolution to overturn the mask mandate.”

Because of Utah state laws, only county health departments can issue mask mandates. School districts and the Utah Board of Education do not have the power to do so.

The Legislature also still holds the ultimate ability to cancel any county’s requirement.

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenney Wilson said she supported the move.

I’m heartbroken that this is where we are as our kids enter school. Sadly the Delta variant is very aggressive, and we all need to do everything we can do to keep this virus under control. I support Dr. Dunn’s order of constraint for our kids in K-6.https://t.co/gqgklwDCLp

— Mayor Jenny Wilson (@SLCoMayor) August 10, 2021

The first day of school is next week.