Although there is no statewide mask mandate in Utah, several schools in the state are now requiring masks to be worn for the coming school year.
Officials at Brigham Young University announced today that while they are encouraged by the number of students who have reported vaccination, they will be requiring mask wearing for the fall semester.
In Salt Lake City, Mayor Erin Mendenhall is using her emergency powers to order that masks be worn in K-12 schools within the city.
Mendenhall said that it is her responsibility as mayor to keep the city and school district from going down a tragic and dangerous path. She said she looks forward to lifting the mask requirement when safer levels of transmission and immunity are reached.
The Salt Lake County Health Department has previously tried to issue a mask requirement for schools county wide but the order was shot down in a vote by the County Council.
Mendenhall’s decision comes as The U.S. Department of Education is considering a federal investigation regarding legislation in the state restricting mask mandates in schools.
