As time passes and the novel coronavirus continues to spread, many are finding themselves confused and worried about the future. What do you need to know about this virus in Utah, and more specifically in Park City? Let’s first cover the facts, here are some tips for COVID-19 in Park City.
What is COVID-19?
The novel coronavirus outbreak started in Wuhan, China and is believed to be tied to a seafood and live animal market. The virus can cause a respiratory disease which is called “Coronavirus Disease 2019,” shortened to COVID-19. Since its outbreak, the disease has spread to every continent except Antarctica.
According to the Utah Department of Health, symptoms can include those very similar to influenza, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath. But department officials said that alone shouldn’t cause concern unless someone showing those symptoms has been in close contact with a known positive case.
What Do All of These Related Terms Mean?
We’ve had an abundance of new terms pop up in our collective vocabularies lately. Some of them may sound alarming, so it’s important to know the difference and what each term means for you.
Quarantine – A time period that a healthy person with no symptoms spends away from other people because they may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Isolation – Refers to people who do have symptoms and are told to stay away from the public.
Stay Safe, Stay Home – A directive issued by the state authorizes with recommendations on how the public can help slow the spread of coronavirus.
Stay at home/shelter at home – Used interchangeably to refer to direction to the public to limit unnecessary outings as much as possible.
Social distancing – When you must leave home, practice keeping at least six feet of distance between you and anyone else. This includes avoiding handshakes and hugs with anyone who is not a member of your household.
Other terms we are just becoming familiar with include pandemic, which simply means a disease has large geographic spread, affecting entire countries or the world. Community spread is used when people begin to test positive for COVID-19 without having come in contact with any known cases.
Official Response in Utah and Summit County
Statewide, Gov. Gary Herbert issued a “Stay Safe, Stay Home” directive. Herbert said it is not a shelter-in-place order but gave recommendations on how to help stop the spread. However, in Summit County, a stay-at-home order was enacted by local authorities. Residents here can still leave their houses, but they are strongly encouraged to practice social distancing and only go out to care for essential needs. Other measures taken statewide include:
All public schools are dismissed until May 1st. School buildings will remain open, however, and provide lunch for students. Universities across the state have cancelled in person classes, and many have moved classes to be entirely online.
Public gatherings have been suspended, including church services. The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City said Catholic school facilities will close and funerals and weddings will be postponed.
Many of the top ski resorts in Utah are closing for the season. Zion National Park shuttle busses are on hold, but visitors are still allowed to drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. Zion and Bryce Canyon are both operating virtual visitor centers in place of staffed buildings. Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park in Southwest Utah are closed until further notice.
Restaurants, bars and pubs are closed for dine in options, but many are adapting and offering carryout, delivery, or drive up service.
Tips for COVID-19 in Park City
The following recommendations are from the Utah Coronavirus Task Force:
• Avoid non-essential travel to China (and areas affected by COVID-19)
• Avoid travel and contact with other people if you are sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid contact with sick people.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces like phones, keyboards, doorknobs and light switches.
Utah health department officials said there is currently no vaccine or antiviral treatment available to help with the disease. But since it is flu season, they do recommend getting the flu vaccine, even though that will not protect against coronavirus.
Working Together to Prevent the Spread
Without a doubt, state officials in Utah are taking this outbreak very seriously, and they need our help to continue to flatten the curve and reduce the hardest hitting impact of this disease. We here at Park City Rental Properties are doing all we can to cooperate with the local and federal guidelines, and our top concern is the safety and wellbeing of our guests and homeowners. We hope dearly that we as a community take these guidelines into consideration and work together to help save lives. If you have any concerns about a current or future booking, please feel free to reach out to one of our team members and we would be happy to assist you in this time of uncertainty. Like many others, we look forward to coming through this crisis and once again serving our customers with the highest level of hospitality!
