County Council votes to buck state COVID-19 restrictions

CACHE COUNTY – Despite the recent spike in local cases of coronavirus, the members of the Cache County Council are ready to revolt against the state’s COVID-19 precautions.

With a single dissenting voice, the council voted June 9 to immediately request dropping Cache County to a Green/Normal threat level for the coronavirus.

That decision allies Cache County’s elected leaders with the legislature’s COVID-19 economic recovery commission in opposition to the opinions of state public health officials.

According to state officials, Gov. Gary Herbert’s statewide declaration of a Yellow/Low coronavirus threat level is due to expire in mid-June.

“With our recent spike in positive cases,” said Councilwoman Gina Worthen, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the governor sets the rest of the state to a Green level and leaves us at Yellow.”

The county council members will attempt to head off that possibility by sending a letter through Bear River Health Director Lloyd Berentzen to Maj. Gen. Jefferson Burton, the acting director of the State Board of Health. That letter will presumably argue that the unintended consequences of Utah’s coronavirus precautions are more damaging than the disease itself.

Worthen listed those consequences as economic uncertainty, widespread unemployment, suicide, mental illness, domestic violence, depression and anxiety, among others.

I’m completely frustrated by our willingness to accept these consequences in an attempt to avoid catching a virus that has a one percent death rate,” Worthen argued. “I think that we’re going to look back on all this in the future and realize that we made a terrible mistake.”

With 36 new COVID-19 cases announced June 9, the Bear River Health District’s caseload nearly three months into the pandemic stands at 865 local residents infected. Only two of those patients have died and neither of them were actually present in the three-county district area when they passed away.

Worthen’s opinion is shared by the members of the Utah legislature’s advisory commission on economic recovery. That panel voted on May 29 to recommend that the state move into a “smart green” risk phase that would allow nearly all businesses in the state to reopen while continuing social distancing and other precautions, according to Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton. The lawmakers’ suggestion was promptly discredited by the state’s public health experts.

Since that vote, Adams has tested positive for COVID-19. But he said that diagnosis hasn’t shaken his belief that Utah’s coronavirus shut-down needs to end.

“What concerns me,” said council member David L. Erickson, “is that we’ve given so much power to un-elected officials in the midst of this lock-down. I mean, we’re debating whether to ask the board of health for permission to live our lives the way we want to …

“There’s something more important than public health at risk here and that’s our ability to empower people. We need to give personal responsibility back to our citizens. They need to have the freedom to make decisions about their own lives. When we take that freedom away from them, that’s when you start to have problems with suicide, anxiety and depression.”

But council member Jon White suggested that it might be too early for Cache County to try to secede from the state’s coronavirus guidelines.

“Whether it was right or wrong originally, we’ve now put how much time into (living with the coronavirus restrictions)? Two months?” he asked. “In 14 days, the people who are now going into quarantine will be out again. Hopefully, the infection rates will be down by then.”

I’m tired of being locked up and I’m tired of being told to be afraid,” council member Gorden Zilles countered. “I’m in the age group that’s most likely to die, but I’ve had a good life and I say let’s get on with it. That may sound like I’m being pretty casual about it, but that’s the way I feel.”

Council member Barbara Tidwell agreed that many people in the high-risk population are more than ready to resume their normal lives.

“I work with a lot of people in the high-risk category and they are the ones who seem to most want to get out,” she explained. “They’re not afraid of this disease, they’re just tired of it. I talked to one of them who is 83 and he wants to get out to be involved again … I believe a lot of people feel that way.”

The council members voted six-to-one, with White dissenting, to petition moving to a Green threat level and resuming near normal life with reasonable precautions.

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83 Comments

  • JW June 10, 2020 at 10:37 am Reply

    How ignorant, it isn’t just about you wanting to get out and about. I’m embarrassed that these are the people that make choices for our community.

    • Anna Hawkins June 10, 2020 at 11:31 am Reply

      Oh didn’t you know? It’s the county council. Literally everything is about them. How dare those public health professionals give us recommendations on how to stay healthy! We can’t do things like listen to doctors on matters of health… Only elected officials have the authority to tell us how to run our lives!

      • Clay June 10, 2020 at 12:02 pm Reply

        Karen please calm down.

        • A June 11, 2020 at 8:36 am Reply

          Don’t try and discount her comment by calling her word “Karen.” She actually has good points there. Can you refute those?

    • S June 10, 2020 at 12:23 pm Reply

      That’s exactly how I felt. Disgusting, ignorant, and the list goes on. Vote them out!!

  • Zach June 10, 2020 at 11:33 am Reply

    “i wAnT tO LiVe mY LiFe pUbLiC hEaLtH iS tYrAnNy”

    They do realize what they sound like, right? Places that have opened, like Florida, Texas, Arizona, are seeing hospitalization rates spike, it’s still killing a thousand people per day, but dang it Gordon Zilles wants a haircut and if that means people die, well, he’s decided they need to “get on with it.”

    • S June 10, 2020 at 12:24 pm Reply

      Vote them out!!

  • Mercedes June 10, 2020 at 11:36 am Reply

    Totally agree!!! People who aren’t for this, or are high risk can choose to stay home!

    • Simon. June 10, 2020 at 12:00 pm Reply

      Ok Karen.

    • Jenny June 10, 2020 at 12:12 pm Reply

      Unfortunately, staying home is a luxury many people can’t afford. There will be plenty of people who don’t agree with this vote who will be harmed by it, like essential workers throughout the valley.

    • MommaRou June 10, 2020 at 12:37 pm Reply

      It’s not that simple. People who are at high risk still have to go out and get groceries occasionally. Also, the people who must work in stores may not be at high risk, but they can have people in their homes who are at high risk. What about them? I’ve never seen a bigger bunch of crybabies in my life as to when this virus came along.

    • FarmhouseProclamation June 10, 2020 at 1:38 pm Reply

      @Mercedes that’s not quite how the world works. What about the hundreds of healthcare workers in this valley who care for those most at risk? We can’t just “stay home”. And many of those people most at risk need healthcare workers to function, whether in hospitals, their own homes or in assisted living centers. The less careful people around me are, the more likely I am, despite how incredibly cautious I am, to get sick. If I get COVID-19, it will likely kill one or more of my patients (not all of whom are elderly). Something to consider before removing community- wide precautions.

      • John June 10, 2020 at 5:44 pm Reply

        Spot on!

    • Malak June 10, 2020 at 4:36 pm Reply

      Perhaps you should consider just getting over it, shut up, and stay home, Karen.
      You may think no lives matter, but your opinion has no qualifications.

    • Tricia June 11, 2020 at 9:19 pm Reply

      #FACT 🙂

    • Carol Foht June 12, 2020 at 7:19 pm Reply

      Sure, we can stay home. And when you people who are willing to take chances not caring about the consequences, get sick; stay home and nurse yourself back to health! Stay away from the healthcare workers. Oh, I’m sorry…I forgot this is all about YOU 🙁

  • Clay June 10, 2020 at 12:02 pm Reply

    Geez… calm down Karen.

  • Jenny June 10, 2020 at 12:10 pm Reply

    “With our recent spike in positive cases,” said Councilwoman Gina Worthen, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the governor sets the rest of the state to a Green level and leaves us at Yellow.”

    The governor would be wise to do so! It would be good sense to continue in yellow (if not orange!) in the place with the highest rate of COVID growth nationally. The numbers didn’t spike until people went to yellow, which suggests that it was too soon to move to yellow.

  • Deanie ribertson June 10, 2020 at 12:35 pm Reply

    Our elected officials should make decisions solely on one factor. Yes, the health and safety of residents is VERY important, however there are other equally important factors when making this decision. All factors, physical health, mental health, and economic health need to be taken into consideration to make a wise determination of how we proceed. We can not fault our elected leaders for doing exactly that.

    • TriciaJ June 11, 2020 at 9:29 pm Reply

      Agree, Deanie! Why are people forgetting that the WHOLE reason Gov. Herbert cited for closing was the “flatten the curve”? In stating that we want to flatten the curve, we’re essentially saying these things: 1-No one can stop C-19. 2-Everyone will eventually get it whether they stay home, wear a mask, and wash diligently or not. 3-We don’t want to overwhelm the hospitals all at once with too many cases. With those 3 things in mind, along with the FACT that not one hospital in Utah has been inundated with C-19 cases to the point that they’ve had to call in retired/off-the-clock/out-of-state health care workers, why aren’t we moving along to open up for business quicker? If we’re ALL GOING TO GET IT AT SOME POINT, and businesses and people are suffering daily as a result of overzealous precautions, shouldn’t getting people back to work be priority? Who’s worried about the uprise in suicides? I don’t hear anyone up in arms over the loss of life, jobs, and mental health. 🙁

  • Robert T June 10, 2020 at 12:42 pm Reply

    So what exactly is making them feel locked up while at the current level?

    I would say most things I used to enjoy before the shutdown are available right now with the exception of high traffic/contact facilities like schools, gyms, theaters, etc. Even with those services closed I can do 95% of the stuff I normally did before the shutdown if I so desire.

  • Carole Gibbs June 10, 2020 at 12:46 pm Reply

    So go wonder around there are lots of people not wearing masks. For me if the business doesn’t require masks I won’t shop with them. There is always on line. not good for loyal businesses

  • Kathy June 10, 2020 at 12:58 pm Reply

    The reason elected officials hire professionals is to advise and educate them as no one is an expert in everything they need to know. It seems this county council does not care about the health of their constituents. When did the citizens of this country stop caring about their fellow Americans?

  • Emma June 10, 2020 at 2:12 pm Reply

    This is insane. The communities that are being disproportionately infected with the virus are minority/refugee ones, and this council is inhumanely blatantly ignoring the harm that they’re putting these people in the way of by making this fatal mistake. Email [email protected] to ask her to stop this insanity!

  • Joe June 10, 2020 at 2:59 pm Reply

    There’s more stupid in this article than in a lot of trump pressers.

  • Doug Tovey June 10, 2020 at 3:07 pm Reply

    I’m moving to Cache County. I was hoping to get away from the bleeding heart liberals here in Oregon. After reading this article I was absolutely thinking I made the right choice. However, after reading the comments the am back to absolutely discouraged.

    A moderate approach that uses a good dose of common sense is what I’m looking for from our leadership.

    All the people who commented above should move to western Oregon.

    • Eshner June 10, 2020 at 8:46 pm Reply

      Whatever you say, Karen!

    • Aaron June 11, 2020 at 8:30 am Reply

      Doug the majority of comments here are not indicative of the populace here. They are largely of those wearing masks and hiding in their basements. Most people here realize the risks involved with life and prefer liberty to safety.

    • Voter June 11, 2020 at 11:43 am Reply

      The silent majority support the county council.

    • CShaw June 11, 2020 at 1:46 pm Reply

      “Doug” sound like the male “Karen”.

  • Darrin Smith June 10, 2020 at 3:11 pm Reply

    Groovy! I also backup the City Council. I don’t know why this virus is worse than the other viruses we’ve had in the past. People passed on then and nobody freaked out like what’s going on now! Just why is that?

    Are we all trying to be unnecessarily manipulated?

    • Zach June 10, 2020 at 4:25 pm Reply

      It is at least twice as deadly as the flu, and spreads far more easily. Hospitalization rates are higher. No one has immunity, while everyone has some immunity from the flu. This isn’t an ordinary virus. So before you ask everybody else if they are being manipulated, maybe look in the mirror and ask yourself the same question.

      • Free Bird June 10, 2020 at 6:46 pm Reply

        Twice as deadly? What brings you to that conclusion, CNN? In 2017 and 2018 we had 2.6 million people die of the flu. What are we at now with this overblown Wuhan Flu? 400,000? The same so called scientists that said over 200 million people will die of the Wuhan Flu, I imagine they used the same models as the global warming crowd.

      • Dean June 10, 2020 at 10:51 pm Reply

        No immunity? It would appear that the vast number of individuals immunity system is able to fight and overcome the virus. You need to start looking at the facts Zach.

        • Zach June 11, 2020 at 10:48 am Reply

          I am looking at the facts. I got my data from the CDC, not some rando in the internet. This virus is just getting started, you’re all trying to call the race when there’s still fifty laps to go. Lots more people are gonna die before it burns out, more if people listen to you.

          You are being deliberately obtuse- EVERYONE on earth has some immunity from the flu, because they had it or a similar strain before. NO ONE has that type of immunity from the coronavirus, and you’re pretending fighting off the virus is the same as having immunity. It’s not.

          Please stop looking at this through your ideology. I’m a conservative, I believe in limited government. And yet, looking at the facts, this virus is deadly. Our hospitalization rates are going up. States that opened are seeing surges in cases. This is an emergency, and people like you and your Pom-Poming cheerleaders on the County Council are going to get people killed. It’s not the flu. It’s not a cold. It’s the number one cause of death in the United States after just a few months.

  • Laura June 10, 2020 at 3:31 pm Reply

    I for one am in agreement. This is/was going to run through our community whether we stayed holed up or not. It has to happen. It’s not simply going to “pass us by”. I have friends and family who are high risk for getting sick. On the other hand I have MORE friends and family who are high risk for losing livelihoods, houses, and other essentials for living in a continual “shut down”.

    I am also tired of the constant uncertainty. It’s depressing, it’s stressful and it’s unhealthy also. ONE percent death rate.
    In 188,000+ people (in Bear River Dist), 864 positives (thats the total over months, not at this moment), 17 hospitalized (again, total for months, not at this moment), and (still) 2 deaths. It’s not enough to shutdown an entire community.

    I feel concern and fear for that 1%. I feel concern for the ones who will need hospitization. I always do when tragedy hits individuals. Unfortunately, life and the rest of the community can’t afford to stop and hold their breaths for the 1%. Be cautious, be respectful, and use the liberty your city counsel is fighting for, for you. The right to decide for yourself.

    • Eshner June 10, 2020 at 8:53 pm Reply

      It would be helpful if you knew what you were talking about. Low numbers of infected go with good social practices. Low numbers reported can mean several things – only a small number of people being tested, those in charge lying, tests not working, etc. I doubt that you have concern for the “1%” or anyone else other than yourself. Harming and killing other people isn’t a “liberty”, no matter what the right-wing says.

    • KL June 11, 2020 at 10:56 am Reply

      Well said Laura.

  • Darrin Smith June 10, 2020 at 4:55 pm Reply

    I support the Council on their decision. We have been manipulated way to long. The WHO came out and said that masks don’t really help that much if your out. It mainly protects others from you if your sick. Ask yourselves this: Why is this virus much, much worse than the other more recent one’s we’ve had in the past 20 years? Why weren’t people that concerned when they were dying back then like they are today? And if you do get the Corona, is not the survival rate overwhelmingly good? And if it was so horrible, why do the protesters get a free pass and not get arrested for not practicing social distancing? Why do they get to go out and about free range with no consequences?

  • LH June 10, 2020 at 5:30 pm Reply

    Thank You Cache County Council!!! It’s about time people stand up for themselves and us! Unalienable rights automatically became ours when our lives began and continue to bless us. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness does not have a clause that says, “unless there is a pandemic”. The so called “experts” have gotten nearly 100% of this “pandemic” wrong. Monday the WHO stated, “from the data we have, it STILL seems to be rare that an asymptomatic person actually transmits onward to a secondary individual.” Still?! When did they know this? Why are healthy people still wearing masks? Over 40 million Americans lost jobs, suicide hotlines up 500%, patients dying alone in hospitals and nursing homes? Increased suicides, domestic violence and child abuse. Where’s the common sense? We’ll never truly know the devastating impact restrictions have taken on all of us. We now know that the death rate from covid has not come close to early “experts” opinions. (Utah is .09%). Of course, it’s time to go green.

  • John June 10, 2020 at 5:34 pm Reply

    I am so glad the county officials are putting their medical degrees to work and making decisions based on science rather than feelings.

  • LH June 10, 2020 at 5:36 pm Reply

    2 deaths in Bear River District were living out of state at the time of contracting covid and at the time of death. I still don’t understand why we show 2 deaths. Makes as much sense as hiding in fear, giving up freedoms and letting big corporations take over small businesses.

  • Sam D. June 10, 2020 at 6:17 pm Reply

    Wow. The amount of ignorance here is astonishing. I cannot believe that of all places, especially a college town, that people could be so stupid. I’d like for all the COVID deniers to put a thought in their head. We live in a health department of 150,000+ people. Now, what if 1% of those people died? That’s not including our high concentration of elderly and compromised peoples. Even the idea of during this period to open our county further is disgusting. The argument that losing your house or job does not compare to losing the life of yourself or loved ones because you have chosen to not be careful. I do not support my City Council and heavily disagree with all those who wish to move Bear River Health Department’s coverage to a Green state.

    • Eshner June 10, 2020 at 8:55 pm Reply

      People around here have god on their side. God and prayer will save them. No masks or social distancing required.

      Apparently.

    • Dean June 10, 2020 at 10:47 pm Reply

      It was never about lives being lost, it was about overwhelming the hospitals and medical resources. Erika Andersons car in 1998 has killed more people in Cache Valley then Covid-19, but she still has a license to drive.

      • Tricia June 11, 2020 at 9:32 pm Reply

        Thank you for the common sense, Dean! 🙂

    • CShaw June 11, 2020 at 1:45 pm Reply

      I agree with all this, except it’s not the City Council. It is the County Council.

  • Tonya Smith June 10, 2020 at 6:32 pm Reply

    Why am I even surprised? I’m not comfortable having this group decided on the well-being of Cache County. Not in the least. Sickness, time off of work, and the stress it puts on families takes its toll emotionally and economically on Cache County. I support businesses who are responsible and I vote against elected officials who are not. See you at the polls.

  • Tod Goodwin June 10, 2020 at 6:35 pm Reply

    I would argue that the University leadership is probably a pretty smart group of people. I would argue that the most popular choice of locals who choose to practice religion is a pretty smart group of leaders. Some could argue divine. This country still has some amazing scientific and medical leaders whose voices can still be heard if you listen hard enough. Perhaps we should listen and follow these educators and leaders over the drone of daily tweeting stupidity and the votes of few local imbeciles.

  • kirk leetzow June 10, 2020 at 6:42 pm Reply

    This whole this is crap! The protester deal is causing a division of our country.
    George was a 9x convict. Not saying he deserved to be murdered. He held a gun to a pregnant woman stomach demanding money. He was not a Saint as it is being portrayed.
    Covid 19 is a huge farce to lock down world. Protestors prove it!!!

  • pablo June 10, 2020 at 7:17 pm Reply

    As a physician it is very disturbing to see misinformed, misguided, uneducated county officials choosing to ignore the advice of health professionals. Sure everyone wants to get the economy going…but with this sudden spike of cases here locally, the probability is for far greater numbers of infected putting a larger segment of our population at risk. In Scottsdale my hospital is now out of ventilators and at full capacity after the past two weeks. Things are not going to get better unless everyone realizes we are all in this together and practices those things we can do to attempt to lower the infection rate until an antiviral and/or vaccine come along. How hard is it to wear a mask? Would you want your surgeon to work on you unmasked? Health personal can spend the majority of their day masked; we, in the private sector, can certainly spend a few hours a day wearing a mask when in public places.

  • Kathy Roberts June 10, 2020 at 8:21 pm Reply

    This is not a smart move. We will remember when we vote.

    • Carol Foht June 12, 2020 at 7:21 pm Reply

      You got it!

  • Joseph Smith June 10, 2020 at 8:44 pm Reply

    It’s interesting that a 1% death rate causes you idiots to just shrug your shoulders. That’s one in one hundred. You’d surely change your tune if that 1 person is a loved one of your’s. Selfish pricks.

  • VJG June 10, 2020 at 10:33 pm Reply

    I have been really impressed with Dr. Dunn and Governor Herbert and the job they have done with their data driven decisions. We need to listen to them and not just do what we want because we feel that some of the things we have been asked to do is inconvenient. There isn’t much difference between yellow and a smart green, and if they ask us to go back to orange, let’s do it for the health of everyone. And for heaven sakes, wear a mask!!!!!

  • Sarah June 10, 2020 at 10:35 pm Reply

    There is a solution to all of this ignorance. Have them sign a release form to deny treatment for COVID and let them learn the hard way.

  • Jenny June 10, 2020 at 10:53 pm Reply

    Finally a City Counsel with some common sense! I hope other cities follow their example. Thank you Logan City! The comments on this thread are disheartening. People are so willing to give up their freedom for safety. Complete ignorance.

  • Karen June 10, 2020 at 11:00 pm Reply

    Having three kids two that Are at high risk this virus is scary for my family. My husband is an essential worker and has no choice but to go to work. Everyone that says this virus isn’t scary or ignores the dangers of it, is a slap in the face to my 4 year old and 14 month old because I’f they contract the virus there chances are not in there favor. I hate Logan.

  • Ruth June 10, 2020 at 11:46 pm Reply

    Yes, we need to get our economy going again, but we need to find a way to do it safely. This virus IS different than other viruses, and we need to be careful. I am sorry that there are so many people in our community that don’t seem to care about the health of others, and I’m sorry that our county council is among them. We DO need to pay attention to our health care professionals. I thought that our County Council was smarter than that. I guess not.

  • Tiffani June 10, 2020 at 11:53 pm Reply

    Good for the Cache County Council! It’s good to see there are still a few people with some common sense out there.

  • Davini June 11, 2020 at 12:10 am Reply

    Gorden Zilles made a selfish comment and I do not support this. Just because COVID-19 hasn’t directly effected your physical health, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I would expect our leaders to care more about us and take every precaution to keep us ALL safe. Selfishness and uncontrolled consumerism is overtaking our leaders and it will destroy our county. I love Cache Valley but I am so disappointed in our leaders after reading this article. If you’re so upset that you can’t leave your house because you miss shopping and eating out, you should find a better use of your time and try and make a meaningful life for yourself. Go ahead leave your house, but don’t come crying to the hospital when you have COVID and can’t breathe. Gorden Zilles is a Karen.

  • Maria de Jesus June 11, 2020 at 12:47 am Reply

    This is reckless and irresponsible, especially when we are seeing a spike in Cache County that has made us the number one hot spot in the nation. The pandemic is bad enough without also having to deal with the ignorance and bad decisions of our elected officials. That just compounds the stress. So, yes, vote them out. We deserve better.

    By the way, a woman who contracted COVID-19 because of a meat processing plant here lost her baby last week. Baby Alan who should have been born this week will instead be buried on Friday. If you interview the workers, they will tell you that they made them work while sick. There are hundreds of people infected now, and that number is only going to go up when they start testing family members. The whole community is at risk. Why is no one doing anything about this? The workers tested positive over the weekend, and the plant opened on Monday. And it’s not just them. This is happening at restaurants all over town. The numbers are higher than we know. And this County Council voted that we go green???

  • Maria de Jesus June 11, 2020 at 1:02 am Reply

    This is reckless and irresponsible, especially at this time, with the recent spike that has made us the number one hotspot in the country. It’s hard enough having to cope with the pandemic, without having to also manage the stress caused by elected officials who make bad decisions. So, yes, vote them out. We deserve better.
    We value our freedom in this country, it’s true, but no one is ever completely free, not really. We have a responsibility always to consider the well being of others, and sometimes we have to sacrifice what we want for the common good. When we wear our masks in town, we are saying to others: “I respect you as a person and care about your well being.” It is really an act of love. That’s what many people are not understanding.

  • Jeannie June 11, 2020 at 9:15 am Reply

    Oh my goodness, people! The risk of death is less than one percent, and the WHO has just come out and said asymptomatic spread is very rare. You have let these health officials take away your freedom and your humanity. God gave you a body with an immune system. If you want to stay home or wear a mask, do so. But no one has the right to force others to give up their rights.

    • Rosie June 11, 2020 at 12:19 pm Reply

      WHO walked that statement back. The risk of infection from those who are infected but are not yet showing symptoms is still significant. They said asymptomatic (implying not at all infected) when they should have specified pre-symptomatic.

    • Joseph Smith June 11, 2020 at 1:14 pm Reply

      Good argument…other than god. He’s make believe. So it’s kind of like holding stock in the Easter bunny or Santa. Dummy.

  • Michael June 11, 2020 at 10:05 am Reply

    A city council is made to protect and provide for its citizens. This act is neither protecting or providing any well being for our local society, At the Highest infection rate our valley has seen weighing on the side of caution seems logical. Now for the uniformed that are under the illusion that Coivd 19 is an over blown Flu. Here is the Pathology that shows it is so much more.
    – It affects the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (or RAAS), which governs blood pressure, various inflammatory processes, and electrolyte balance. Causes lots of inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrosis, clotting, and vascular permeability to leukocytes. Which then results in Myocarditis and pericarditis
    -The virus can injure the liver and/or bile ducts, causing abnormal liver enzyme levels
    -he virus can infect and injure renal tubules and podocytes, precipitating acute kidney injury and leading to dialysis.
    -Colitis. SARS-CoV-2 can infect the bowel and cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and, in severe cases, intestinal bleeding.
    MALES READ THIS:
    -Orchitis. SARS-CoV-2 can infect the seminiferous ducts and cause testicular pain and possible male infertility. Recovered male COVID-19 patients have been noted to have low testosterone and high luteinizing hormone levels indicative of testicular dysfunction (i.e. the pituitary is commanding the testicles to make sperm by increasing LH, but the balls are not responding)
    So no not the flu not even close.
    I hope you enjoyed learning a bit more of what this virus does to even the most healthy individuals, I will see you all at the pulls vote with your brain not with your heart. The facts are at your finger tips.

  • Mylie Laing June 11, 2020 at 10:12 am Reply

    I applaud this move to “give responsibility back” to the citizens. Though we technically have had it the whole time, governments have not needed to intervene. It is not the government’s responsibility to micromanage as they have since the beginning of this pandemic. Health care is personal, not governmental.

  • Chris Booth June 11, 2020 at 10:30 am Reply

    I applaud the County Council for their decision to petition the state to allow Cache County to move to green and open our economy back up. Everyone that has posted something here against our County Council doesn’t understand that each member are highly educated in their respective fields. Are they medical professionals? Nope! But, they also didn’t just flip a coin and make this decision based on their feelings or whether or not they “want a haircut”! How naive of you to think they would make irresponsible decisions! They have consulted health professionals and considered the data. Our two hospitals and numerous clinics in the BRHD have not been overrun with COVID patients. The more alarming numbers to be looking at are the the increasing number of people who have been contacting mental health professionals and pleading for help because they’ve lost their jobs, they and their kids are going stir crazy because they’ve been cooped up and not able to live a normal life! All of this being said, we just need to be smart by washing our hands, don’t pick our noses, don’t cough or sneeze without covering your face. If you feel the need to stay home then do it! But quit being blind sheep and learn your Constitutional rights!

  • Susie June 11, 2020 at 10:38 am Reply

    Looking forward to Cache Valley being the new epicenter.

    And for those of you who think this is just like any other virus — We are just trying to get to the point where there is a vaccine. Covid-19 DOES have a higher mortality rate and DOES have a higher transmission rate than other viruses. Those other viruses have vaccines, which further reduce the numbers of people who become extremely ill or die from them. Covid-19 does not.

  • Dale June 11, 2020 at 11:54 am Reply

    One of the greatest tragedies of this COVID-19 pandemic is how it has divided our communities and caused so much pain and divisiveness among friends, neighbors and family members. We need to remember that engaging in personal attacks towards those who we disagree with is not even in our self-interest. When we use the K-word towards someone, or otherwise attack them personally, we kill conversation and incite resentment towards us and our way of thinking, resentment that will be remembered when it is time to vote. It would be far better to form a respectful argument using verifiable facts to invite further discussion and possibly influence the way that others see the world. It is hypocrisy to claim that reducing depression and suicide are reasons to want to open up our country again, and yet engage in cyberbullying towards others. Bullying, whether online or in person, is prime nourishment for depression and suicide.

    We all want to see this country reopened, but it is foolhardy to not have some respect for this novel virus and what it can do. It is an almost certainty that some of the 500 people who contracted COVID-19 last week in Cache County will die. There is great concern that staff at nursing homes will catch COVID-19 and spread it to their high-risk clients. Many rural areas comparable to Logan are being devastated by COVID-19, such as Albany, GA and Sioux Falls, SD. This doesn’t mean that we should all hide in our homes and seek government unemployment. But, to increase our likelihood of being able to transition to green as soon as possible, it is absolutely in our best interest to show respect for this virus by limiting our contact with others and wearing a mask in public spaces — even if we are 100% sure we are not infected. It is also absolutely in our best interest to choose to be kind and respectful to those around us, even when we disagree with them.

  • CShaw June 11, 2020 at 1:42 pm Reply

    Well, apparently these elected officials feel good and justified with playing God with our well being. Yeah, I’m 100% convinced by their “I feel” & “I believe” statements. I guess I should just ignore health officials and science because of how these arrogant commissioners feeling and believe.

  • William June 11, 2020 at 8:22 pm Reply

    I was fortunate enough to grow up listening to the stories of my Grandfather who lived through the Great Depression as a child and then fought Hitler as a proud member of Patton’s Army. My Uncle served in the US Navy in the Pacific and fought in almost every major Pacific engagement while sharing “hot racks” with two other sailors while working 7 days a week in cramped, confined spaces aboard a mine sweeper. My Grandmother was a forewoman at a WWII parachute factory in Sanpete County, Utah while raising 2 children. They served and sacrificed for nearly 5 years, proud to do so without complaints. I would be born while my Father served 3 tours in Vietnam, serving with special operations groups. I didn’t meet him until I was nearly 3 years old. All of my family members did so on behalf of their fellow Americans.

    Move ahead to 2020, and look at us now. Let’s protect one another by staying home for 3 months while most of us have a roof over our heads, food on the table, education for our kids online, the ability to enjoy our beautiful valley. Too difficult for many in this thread and too painful for many in this country. “But, I need a haircut…I want to travel again…Wearing a mask is too difficult…I’m surrendering my precious liberty…Our greatest doctors and scientists don’t know what they’re talking about…I’m losing money…It’s a hoax.” Our County councilman said, “Let’s get the herd vaccination (immunity you moron) over with. I’m in the age group most likely to die, but I’ve had a good life, and I say let’s get on with it.” I’m ashamed of what we’ve become. Our sense of community and helping and standing up for our fellow Americans is gone. Rather than invoking the wisdom and spirit of our Greatest Generation(s), we act for our benefit. I’m grateful for my heritage, but I’m ashamed of what we’ve become. Americans are dying while our neighbors who barely made it through high school science speak about how this terrible virus is no worse than the flu, and we follow suit. I’m glad it wasn’t the current America that faced our most significant tests. We’d be screwed.

  • Susan Johnson June 12, 2020 at 6:05 am Reply

    We were just the highest in the US and they want to go to green this is crazy and this virus is a lot more deadly than the flu. I hope the Health Department does the right thing and tells the no.?

  • Friendoffacts June 12, 2020 at 8:30 am Reply

    William,

    The council’s comments made me think of Darwin’s theory of natural selection and dying out of those whose traits no longer serve a useful purpose. The whole world is changing and some of our greatest challenges do lie ahead: lack of water and land, corrupt medical systems, crashing economic failures, climate change, etc.

    Let’s hope we get some people who don’t get a boo boo and hurt feelings which cause them to deal with these issues as selfishly as our council has chosen to.

  • Blayne June 12, 2020 at 9:46 am Reply

    There’s a stark contrast of pessimism and optimism here. The pessimists believing we should lock ourselves inside until the world is a squeeky clean safe place to live. The optimists relying on facts (such as the flu killing way more Americans every year), not opinions. I would hate to live under the cloud of depression like pessimists do. I’m grateful to those people and businesses who are determined to push forward with hope, realizing Corona is killing way more businesses and careers, than people.

  • Duana Johnson June 12, 2020 at 10:35 am Reply

    Doug, we would love to have you in Utah! People that are against FREEDOM of choice, freedom of independent businesses, and people being SMART enough and kind enough to isolate if needed, feel free to move to the liberal states that are in the same mind frame that are FALLING APART. Do research! Learn about the “virus”. It dies at an 8.0 pH. How do you get your body to be at an 8.0 pH? Easy, take baking soda, lemon water, or magnesium! Test your pH every morning with pH strips. Are you staying alkaline? The virus can’t attach unless you are at an acidic 5.5. I’m no doctor, but the studies are out there! Instead of being ignorant and trusting the media, learn for yourself! Even the CDC said that it’s very rare to catch it from a carrier! So rare in fact that in a room of 455 people in which half were carriers, the other half after 2 weeks being in close proximity, NEVER caught it! Stop living in fear! FAITH is the opposite of FEAR! Also proven- it can’t live in hydrogen peroxide– what happens when you take vitamin c? It converts to hydrogen peroxide in your body! Take it intermittently through the day and what do you have? A well oiled virus killer body! Hope this helps some of you living in fear. You don’t have to and you don’t need to.

  • Frontline COVID-19 healthcare worker June 12, 2020 at 11:15 am Reply

    This vote just makes the Council look foolish and uninformed. It especially makes Ms. Worthen look foolish. The real danger of this virus is not the inherent death rate or the collateral sequelae she mentions but rather the fulfillment decompensation of the healthcare system with 1) hospitals full and sick healthcare workers unable to staff hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes; 2) ventilators and ECMO machines becoming saturated; 3) death rates rising from all causes (such as heart attacks, sepsis, gastrointestinal bleeding, trauma) because people can’t get medical care; 4) people dying from all causes (COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 illnesses) in their homes. Italy is a case study in all of this. The suffering within a society in that situation is far greater than the suffering we are experiencing in Yellow or even Orange under UT state designations.

  • Carol Foht June 12, 2020 at 7:25 pm Reply

    You got it!

  • Jerry June 17, 2020 at 1:13 pm Reply

    This is intended for all the misinformed and selfish people who feel they are being kept from your “rights” while health care workers are saving people and really trying to minimize the impact of this very real pandemic. If we had not shut down in March when there were only 4,000 infected per day in the country, projections indicate we would have over 1,000,000 deaths right now if we had not shut down. Closures have been very successful at reducing the number of deaths. Even with what has happened with distancing and closures there is twice the number of deaths in America (118,283) due to the virus in 3 months than all Americans who died in Vietnam after 20 years of war. I can only guess that all of those ignorant Council members and others in the community don’t care who has died or who will die. As of the last week we still have over 23,000 people per day with NEW infections. The death rate is 5.5% in America with this virus and comparing Corona to other viruses is just stupidity. Normal flu death rate is typically 0.05%. The more the country opens up the more this pandemic will continue. There are already projections of a steep rise in infections in the fall. It does not take much to see the rise in cases across the country where states have let guards down. Some say we should leave the actions of people to the people, “they will be responsible”- that is laughable, l really do not want to put my life in the hands of a bunch of rude selfish ignorant and stupid people who think they are immune. Even with regulations of proper behavior in place about 1/2 the people feel they are above everyone else- selfish people potentially infecting others – way to go Council- what a bunch of idiots. You must have stock in medical supplies and funeral homes. I highly commend the 1 Council member who voted to remain closed.

  • Jerry July 3, 2020 at 4:04 pm Reply

    yes way to go progressive losers of Logan city council- now that the virus has doubled which includes your lack of insight and educated decisions- lets all go green now or better yet lets all go lay down in the middle of the free way – after all everyone has brakes just like we have immune systems as you so smartly stated- maybe they will brake for you – I won’t

    Now go do your constitutional right and lick some public TOILETS

  • Kirk Peterson July 16, 2020 at 4:09 pm Reply

    I think the decision to hold the Cache County Fair and Rodeo is reckless with the present covid-19 pandemic running rampant across much of the USA. Even though the infection rates are now starting to decline in Cache Valley at this time, it’s totally irresponsible to hold this community event. Preston, Ogden, Salt Lake City have all cancelled their Rodeos. Most of the folks attending the Cache County Fair and Rodeo will not wearing masks or practice social distancing which will promote the opportunity for community spread. This will be especially dangerous to the Latino community who are a greater risk for health complications from the corona-virus. Oh well… full steam ahead, blast common sense! Yes… we all want to get back to normal, however holding this event is going to have the exact opposite effect!

  • Jerry November 9, 2020 at 5:24 pm Reply

    Well now that we are 3 months later since my last rant and the Great City Council of Logan was and likely is still just plain stupid- except 1 who voted AGAINST going GREEN.- way to go- now that we have killed 4 times more people that died in Viet Nam after 20 years in a mere 7 months. I can not believe the ignorance of this council – now that we are having over 120,000 new DAILY cases equating to approximately 3,00 new DEAD people A DAY. What could you possibly be thinking except the fact that none of you are science based and do most of your talking out of you r BUTT. I only wish I could hire all of you so I could fire you along with Trump- yea.

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