How much COVID-19 has cost Utah â so far and last updated 2021-05-28 20:05:14-04 SALT LAKE CITY â A once-in-a-lifetime event like the COVID-19 pandemic isn't cheap. Financial reports reviewed by FOX 13 show the extent of state spending to respond to the pandemic, as well as what has been calculated in terms of economic impact to taxpayers. "To put a price tag on a pandemic? A global pandemic? Itâs money well spent for what we had to do," said Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Jess Anderson, who headed up the state's COVID-19 Unified Command. "I couldnât be more proud of where Utah is in the response to all of this."