SALT LAKE CITY – The number of COVID-19 cases in Utah increased by 2,614 on Wednesday, with another 21 deaths reported, according to an update provided by the Utah Department of Health.
The new COVID-19 case numbers indicate a 1% increase in positive cases since Tuesday. According to the health department, the average number of positive cases of seven days a day is now 2,033. The positive test rate per day for that period is now 25%. There are currently 484 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Utah, state data shows.
Of the 21 new deaths, nine were from Salt Lake County and five from Utah County, but the department reported new deaths across the state. The complete list provided by the department was:
- A Davis County man between 45 and 64 years old and hospitalized at death
- A Davis County woman and long-term care resident over 85
- A Salt Lake County man between the ages of 65 and 84 who was not hospitalized at the time of death
- A Salt Lake County man between the ages of 65 and 84 who was hospitalized at the time of death
- A Salt Lake County man between the ages of 65 and 84 who was hospitalized at the time of death
- A Salt Lake County man and long-term care worker over the age of 85
- A Salt Lake County man and long-term care worker over the age of 85
- A Salt Lake County woman over 85 and hospitalized at the time of her death
- A Salt Lake County man between the ages of 65 and 84 who was hospitalized at the time of death
- A Salt Lake County man between the ages of 65 and 84 who was not hospitalized at the time of death
- A Salt Lake County woman and long-term care provider between the ages of 45 and 64
- A man in Sanpete County and long-term care facility between 65 and 84 years old
- A man in Sanpete province between the ages of 65 and 84 admitted to hospital at death
- A Uintah County man between the ages of 65 and 84 and hospitalized at the time of death
- A Utah County man between the ages of 65 and 84 and hospitalized at death
- A man in Utah County and long-term care facility older than 85
- A man in Utah County and long-term care provider between 65 and 84 years old
- A woman in Utah County and long-term care facility older than 85 years
- A Utah County man between the ages of 65 and 84 and hospitalized at death
- A Washington County man and long-term care resident between the ages of 65 and 84
- A Weber County man over the age of 85 admitted to hospital at death
Utah now has 271,940 confirmed cases, with 10,873 total hospitalizations and 1,256 total deaths due to the disease since March after the total Wednesday
Vaccinations take up some steam ‘
A total of 23,970 Utahns have now been vaccinated for COVID-19, according to the Department of Health. Rich Lakin, Utah’s Department of Vaccination Program Manager, said Wednesday that vaccinations are now being looked after and that about 6,500 people have been vaccinated in the past two days, making up about a quarter of all vaccinations since the process began. . December 15th.
“The initial explosion of the vaccine was slow – slower than we expected and really slower than we wanted – but we’re taking up some steam,” he said.
The state also reported Wednesday that more than 125,000 total vaccine doses have been shipped or approved to be shipped to Utah. The health department does not have a figure regarding how many of the doses arrived.
During an informal briefing with media members on Wednesday, Lakin said there was a delay in data. He said there is usually a delay of at least two days between the doses sent and the doses received. There is also up to 24 hours delay when doses are administered and when they appear on the Department of Health website.
Local health departments began vaccinating non-hospital workers such as emergency medical technicians, while Walgreens, CVS and community nursing services began vaccinating employees and residents for long-term care facilities. The latter is the result of a federal partnership with drug stores to export vaccines to long-term care facilities, but is still suggested in the state’s supply data, Lakin explained. In addition, it is hospitals that vaccinate frontline workers, who have started the vaccination process.
Vaccines are also administered in two consecutive doses. Lakin added that the state had ordered its doses of vaccines for the second round for people who received their first round of vaccinations. The second dose of doses for those who have already been vaccinated starts next week and is counted in a separate statistic from the health department.
Why the government vaccine expects delays on the timeline
Yet vaccinations are behind what civil servants originally hoped for by the end of the year, even as the process is gaining steam. There were an estimated 154,000 doses in the state by the end of 2020. Earlier this month, federal officials apologized for a ‘miscommunication’ about how many vaccine doses the states would receive in the first few weeks. Many states, including Utah, have left fewer doses than expected.
Lakin said this miscommunication is likely to change timelines to complete vaccinations for groups such as health workers. It also means likely delays for groups next on the vaccination list, such as teachers.
“Because we have less vaccine, it pushes the timeline back a bit,” he said.
Next in line after the groups were vaccinated are first responders and teachers, who Lakin said he hopes the state can come by the end of January. That is ultimately how many doses the state receives from the federal government to make it happen. If the rollout at the federal level goes slower than expected, it will likely push back the Utah timeline.
“If we do not have enough vaccine, we can not move through the population, because we can not provide enough vaccines to our local health departments, because the speed of vaccination is currently faster than the amount of vaccine. That we can get them. “So you can see why it can cause some delay,” Lakin said.
Carter Williams