Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, local officials have often repeated one important truth: Our actions in the spring and summer will determine what happens come winter.
Abiding by the guidance of health experts, they’ve said, will give us a chance to keep the spread of the coronavirus at a manageable level and preserve ski season. By contrast, failing to do our part to keep COVID-19 at bay will imperil the winter tourism months and threaten to send our already-fragile economy into further tailspin.
With case numbers spiraling out of control in Utah after the loosening of restrictions, and the top local health official warning that the situation in Summit County is also increasingly precarious, we’re at the point where the rubber meets the road.
The time is now to do everything in our power to stay on top of the virus.
The County Courthouse took significant action to help in that effort Thursday, asking for and receiving permission from the governor to require masks indoors in public and at community gatherings.
As well as abiding by that mandate, residents should be vigilant about adhering to other health guidance like continuing to limit close contact with others, avoiding large gatherings and quarantining themselves and getting tested if they develop coronavirus symptoms.
If everyone does their part, we stand a good chance of keeping the spread of the virus at a manageable level.
But we’re also going to need some help.
Our community is a prime destination for visitors, and while we have always relished the opportunity to share our home with others, the spirit of hospitality that has allowed Park City to flourish is, for the time being, a double-edged sword. As crucial as our actions now and in the coming months will be, we don’t entirely control our own fate.
It is imperative that visitors, whether they’re coming to stroll Main Street on a car-free Sunday or to enjoy our many recreation opportunities, also take the coronavirus seriously. They must follow the same precautions to ensure they’re not unwittingly spreading the disease here and unraveling the hard-won progress we’ve made in containing it.
After beginning the pandemic as the state’s first hot spot, we’ve collectively done a remarkable job stemming the tide up to this point. But with cases in Utah surging and local trends heading in the wrong direction, the outlook has seldom been more tenuous. It’s time to mask up, avoid taking unnecessary risks and make sure that, come November and the beginning of ski season, we’ve still got the coronavirus under control.