Because masks have become a flashpoint during coronavirus, Cox urged people to “respect” their “other humans” when restrictions are eased.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gov. Spencer Cox provides updates on the ongoing pandemic as his words are interpreted for people with hearing impairments, during a press conference in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 11 of 2021.
With Utah’s state mask mandate ending April 10, Gov. Spencer Cox urged residents of the state to “act with respect to your fellow human beings” and told those who don’t want to wear masks that don’t “be an idiot” if a company maintains its restrictions.
“Don’t call the secretary; don’t call the store manager, ”he told a news conference on Thursday. “Don’t make a fool of yourself because you don’t want to wear masks.”
“This is not free for everyone,” Cox added later. “We live in a society. We should care about each other. And if you don’t care about other people, don’t go to other places. “
He urged the Utahns to consider their level of risk and said those who have not been fully vaccinated at the end of the mask’s term should consider wearing a mask or not going out. And he urged people who may feel that a business is not doing enough to combat the spread of coronavirus to exercise patience as well.
[Read more: How the governor and lawmakers settled on April 10 to lift the statewide mask mandate]
“If you walk into a restaurant and a table is closer than you might think [it should be], don’t call the waitress and tell her you want people 6 feet away from you, “he said.” If you don’t feel comfortable going out and eating at the restaurant because you’re at risk, use it. “
The new governor said he acknowledged that masks have been a divisive issue. But he said those who don’t want to put on a mask shouldn’t make fun of people who still wear them, and those who shouldn’t should “stack up” people who don’t.
Cox said Thursday he doesn’t “like the bill” the state legislature recently passed and will end the state’s mask mandate early next month. He said he urged legislative leaders to give the state more time to vaccinate people before withdrawing them.
“We told them to look, we get at least 25,000 people every day, new people get vaccinated and get closer to this immunity and the immunity of the flock we work with, so it will take as many days as you can give us,” he said. He recounted, “We ended up on April 10.”
Cox has indicated he will sign the bill and said he anticipates COVID-19 vaccines will be available to all adults in Utah on April 1.
The governor stressed on Thursday in his weekly COVID news session that the mask’s mandate will not completely disappear next month and that people will still have to wear masks in schools and in large meetings with 50 or more people. Companies may also continue to need masks.
But some local business owners have already expressed concern that the end of the mask’s tenure will lead to conflicts with their customers starting next month.
Matt Caputo, the CEO of Caputo’s Deli, said in a recent video posted on social media that the mask’s mandate reduced tensions with some customers of his business. And he urged the governor to veto the bill that would end it, even though lawmakers could vote to overturn that veto.
Some Utahns and companies have wanted essential workers or people who can’t do their job from home to be vaccinated before the mask’s term ends. But Cox said Thursday that these workers will not receive special eligibility for the vaccine and that shots will be fired at the same time as the general public.
“We’re very close to the end,” Cox stressed. “We are removing the vaccines as much as possible. Please be kind to each other. Please be patient with each other. And we show people what an amazing place it is to live in Utah. ”