The GOP-dominated Utah Senate reversed masks mandates in two counties Friday amid an Omicron-driven coronavirus surge.

The decision instantly went into impact because it was authorised by the Senate in the course of the first day of the session and didn't require Republican Governor Spencer Cox's veto or signature.

Opponents of the masks mandate mentioned it took away individuals's freedom.

"I perceive many individuals need to result in an finish to this pandemic. All of us do. That every one mentioned, doing one thing for the sake of doing one thing isn't a adequate justification for a authorities mandate," mentioned Republican sponsor Consultant Candice Pierucci.

Earlier than being struck down, the Salt Lake County Council upheld the mandate issued by Mayor Jenny Wilson and the well being division.

The masks mandate required all residents in Salt Lake County, no matter vaccination standing or previous COVID-19 an infection, to put on a masks in indoor public areas and whereas lining up exterior.

Two council Republicans agreed with the mandate from Dr. Angela Dunn, Salt Lake County Well being Division government director, as COVID-19 circumstances proceed to skyrocket within the state.

"It's disappointing that though our county adopted the legislation, the state Legislature selected to intervene and dismiss the choice we made to guard our residents," mentioned Aimee Winder Newton, a Republican Salt Lake County Council member who supported the mandate.

Utah Mask Mandate
Utah lawmakers reversed masks mandates for 2 counties in the course of the begin of their legislative session. Above, demonstrators protest masks, vaccine mandates and vaccine passports, with some supporting vaccines, on the State Home in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 5, 2022. JOSEPH PREZIOSO/Getty Pictures

Throughout a earlier assembly, Republican Salt Lake County Council members mentioned pandemic-fueled disruptions made the mask-mandate needed.

Regardless of the overturn of the masks mandate, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson remains to be asking residents to put on a masks and is offering free high-quality masks on the public library.

Along with Salt Lake County, a masks mandate was additionally reversed in Summit County, following the legislature's problem to the county's public well being state of emergency issued in December.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported Summit County Well being Director Dr. Phil Bondurant disagreed with the lawmakers' determination. "I stay agency in my perception that the actions taken by Summit County and the Summit County Well being Division during the last two years have saved lives," Bondurant mentioned.

In accordance with the Utah Division of Well being, the state at present has 825,989 confirmed optimistic COVID-19 circumstances. The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) additionally reviews that the variety of individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 is the very best the state has seen because the starting of the pandemic.

Utah can be experiencing a testing scarcity, and the Tribune beforehand reported the state solely has roughly 44,000 checks obtainable per day.

Chatting with the Tribune, Dunn added that Utah may begin to see a plateau impact since its skill to check residents is proscribed.

In response to the COVID-19 check scarcity that the state is experiencing, Tom Hudachko, Utah Division of Well being spokesman, mentioned if somebody is symptomatic and might't discover an obtainable check, they need to assume they've COVID and start the at-home isolation interval.

Research present the Omicron variant has already develop into the dominant pressure in most nations and spreads extra simply, infecting individuals who have both beforehand had the virus or been vaccinated. Nevertheless, research present Omicron is much less prone to trigger critical sickness.