Most of the state has moved into the “GREEN” status of the color-coded health guidance system, including our neighbors, Emery County who made the move last week. Castle Country Radio took time to speak with Health Director, Brady Bradford about why Carbon County didn’t move at the same time as Emery did.

“Certainly, on the surface Carbon and Emery County have looked very good, Grand County as well actually. It just so happens that last week we were thinking about these things we had an issue with a number of tests that had been submitted that had they come back positive a couple days later would have been kind of alarming for us,” said Bradford. It was best that officials wait for the results before Carbon applied for “GREEN” status. The majority of those tests were returned with negative results.

A lot of individuals are wondering what it will mean by being designated to “GREEN” status, Bradford explains, “With the increase of public interaction, there is increase risk. We just know that right now in Carbon County and Emery County we believe that is manageable. So as people take advantage of some of these businesses that are now open or they’re more free to move about – pay attention, still remember those lessons we’ve talked about with face coverings, and hand hygiene, and social distancing.” If you are exposed to someone that is positive pay attention to your own symptoms and seek testing by contacting your primary care physician.

As far as the cases we currently have the numbers are low. “One of our acting Emery cases, I believe has resolved and clear to resume their normal life. So just a matter of getting things straightened out there on our website but all of those cases are doing very well and we expect them to resolve shortly,” stated Bradford. You can see the latest COVID-19 numbers in each county by visiting the Southeastern Utah Health Department website.