PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2020
Salt Lake City, UT – Following the release of the Utah Leads Together Plan in response to the COVID-19 crisis, Chase Thomas, executive director of Alliance for a Better Utah, issued the following statement:
“Given the failure of national leaders, it has become clear that real leadership in the face of this deadly virus must come from the state and local level, and states must implement a patchwork of solutions to this global crisis. We are extremely grateful to Utah’s government, policy, and business leaders for coming together and forming this plan for our state. The plan gives Utahns something to look forward to and gives us hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
“As our government leaders continue to regularly inform their constituents about what is happening and what they must do to keep themselves, their families, and our communities safe, instructions must be plain and simple. We are all experiencing this type of crisis for the first time together, and new terms such as ‘social distancing’ may be understood differently by various people. In an era of social media and misinformation, we must do all that we can to convey the serious and dire importance of listening to public health officials and acting in the best interest of our communities.
“If Utahns fail to heed the advice and recommendations of public health officials for reasons other than simple misunderstandings that can be corrected through better communication, then public officials must be prepared to implement mandatory public health orders that prevent the spread of this virus. ‘Shelter in place’ orders may sound scary, but the irresponsibility of a few individuals should not be allowed to endanger the lives of thousands.
“Above all else, we must continue to keep our collective focus on protecting the lives and well-being of Utahns. This crisis is testing our physical, mental, and economic health, but as we come together as a state, we will weather this storm and emerge together on the other side.”
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Alliance for a Better Utah is a nonprofit that holds politicians accountable and advocates for progressive policies that make Utah an even better place. The organization improves the lives of all Utahns through advocacy, transparency, and accountability in Utah politics, policy, and government. More information at www.betterutah.org.