Governor Gary Herbert issued a directive to Utahns on Friday in the hopes of stemming the spread of the Covid-19 virus within the state.  He thanked those who are already using best practices and called on individuals and businesses to follow the directive guidelines through April 13.  He stressed that the directive is not a shelter in place order but rather was given to establish minimum state standards.  He also said local authorities may impose more stringent directives after consultation with the State to address unique situations in different areas of Utah.

in the directive, the Governor encouraged people to stay home as much as possible, including working from home where that is an option.  He encouraged everyone to continue appropriate social distancing, including maintaining a 6-foot distance from others when in public.  He also asked people not to attend gatherings of any number of people, except for members of the same household or residence.  He also asked children to avoid play dates and other similar activities.

Other elements of the directive dealt with travel; time spent outside, including recreational and outdoor activities and parks; food directives and interaction with high risk individuals, considered to be those over 60 years old or who have a serious underlying medical condition.  Exemptions for individuals and for-profit and non-profit organizations were included as well.

The full text of the directive can be found at coronavirus.utah.gov.