April 9, 2020 Update

Good afternoon, all.  Spring has sprung in our valley - as we can tell from sunny and warm this morning to cooler and rainy this afternoon.  One of those amazing Utah days - if you don't like the weather just wait 5 minutes.

Lots going on in our community.  Let's start with some numbers.

Coronovirus Statistics

National:  CDC reports 427,460 cases nationwide with 14,696 deaths.

State:

Utah County Numbers:  272 total cases; 17 hospitalizations; 2 fatalities

In the News

• Governor Herbert has extended the Stay Home Stay Safe directive until the end of April.  This was not unexpected as the national advisory was also extended until then, and schools are not scheduled to be back in session until the first week in May.  
• Virus testing is continuing to accelerate in Utah.  There were 2,257 new tests done yesterday alone.  We remind our employees that everyone, regardless of exposure or symptoms, should visit www.testutah.com to complete the online assessment.  If your responses warrant a test, you can schedule an appointment for a free test at a driver through center in Provo or Orem.  If not, the information will help the State of Utah determine how and where the disease is spreading, or isn't spreading.
• All national parks in Utah have closed due to the pandemic.  We know that Easter weekend is a popular time to vacation and travel, but we hope everyone will plan a staycation at home this weekend to minimize the spread of the virus and keep everyone from being accidentally exposed.

Provo Social Media Updates

• Some of you may not yet have met Keith Morey, our new division director for economic development.  Keith is the latest guest on Conversations with Kaufusi where the mayor talks about the impact of the pandemic on our operations and work.  Check out the video and see what the city is doing to connect small businesses with resources.
• The Mayor and Municipal Council members are sharing an important message today about social distancing and following the guidelines the state has issued to Stay Home and Stay Safe.  We all can do better.

The Fun Stuff

It is Easter weekend, and just about every city has canceled its Easter activities.  My son works for a city parks department in the Salt Lake Valley, and he was recruited to wear the city's Easter Bunny costume and deliver bags of candy to homes of residents.  Fortunately, the city involved thought better of that plan and now the bunny costume is staying in the closet and staff are just dropping goodies on the porch.  We are all learning new things about offering city services in the era of social distancing and extra precautions to stay safe.

Finally, if you like the Jib Jab videos, you will enjoy this short one about Easter eggs - that are not doing a good job of social distancing.

Have a great weekend.  Stay safe and enjoy some Easter fun - even if it has to be via Zoom or Facetime.

Wayne