The public health orders implemented at the beginning of the school year are set to expire at the end of the year. Photo: State of Utah Covid-19 Response

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — Summit County Health Director Dr. Phil Bondurant and County Manager Tom Fisher will terminate the public health orders that instituted a mask requirement at schools that reached a 2% 14-day COVID-19 positivity rate among all students, staff, and faculty on January 1, 2022.

However, on Wednesday, the county council extended the local public emergency through the end of the school year on June 30. This gives Bondurant and Fisher the power to implement new public health orders if COVID-19 creeps up at schools.

“The COVID-19 vaccination rates of eligible Summit County residents is amazing. Our priority has always been to implement strategies proven to reduce risk and transmission. With vaccines readily available to anyone five years of age or older, we now have to manage this pandemic with a new perspective,” Dr. Bondurant said. “We are encouraged by recent COVID-19 rates, which are a direct result of vaccines. The health department looks forward to transitioning out of the pandemic response when the time is right. This is the first step in that process. Additionally, I encourage those who are eligible to be vaccinated and receive a booster dose after six months.”