Utah’s COVID-19 outbreak is currently the sixth worst in the United States

Utah is the sixth-largest case rate for COVID-19 in the country, but medical officials say the answer to the surge is not to return to state-wide mask orders or other restrictions, but to vaccinate deadly viruses. It is said that it has acquired residents who do not want to receive it.

Eight new COVID-19 cases have been reported for every 100,000 residents, and Utah lags only Arkansas and Missouri. Florida and Nevada, 10 each. Wyoming and 9, According to the New York Times..

Due to this situation, leaders of major Utah healthcare systems held a virtual press conference on Wednesday, begging people to take shots. An increasingly crowded hospital warning is that the currently predominant and highly contagious delta variant of the virus has not been vaccinated.

“This is a really important time in our pandemic response,” said Dr. Michel Hoffman, Deputy Director of the Utah Department of Health. As of June, she said Utah had the third highest increase in monthly cases since the pandemic began in March 2020, with increases in case numbers, testing rates, and hospitalization rates by at least 75%. I did.

However, unlike past increases, cases occur primarily in adults aged 25-64 years. According to Hoffman, young people who are vaccinated and older people who are not vaccinated at the same level, available to all Utahs over the age of 12, are also ill.

“The frustrating part about all of this is that, unlike last year, we have all the tools to get this pandemic on track. The COVID-19 vaccine works,” she said, state state July 4th. By then, 70% of adults had reached Governor Spencercox’s goal of receiving at least one vaccination, but added, “Frankly, we need more people to get vaccinated.” ..

Cox announced on Tuesday that the state has achieved its 70% target. By counting the federal doses administered in the state, but continued to demand more Utahns to be vaccinated in a series of tweets, a warning, “We are not out of the forest yet, unfortunately. The pandemic isn’t over. “

However, the surge in incidents does not mean that Mask’s obligations and other restrictions have been reinstated.

last week, The governor revealed that he was not interested in revisiting the controversial mission It was removed earlier than he wanted by the Utah State Legislature, and when asked if the state was the place to go again, he answered “absolutely not.” “We are calling for a return to sanity and for people to be vaccinated.”

According to Hoffman, unvaccinated people are expected to wear masks and social distance, but vaccinated people are more likely to take precautions. .. Doctors advise everyone to keep a social distance from the mask in situations where it is not clear who is vaccinated.

“Vaccines are important, but even if you’re not sure, these simple measures are important, especially if you’re in the crowd and you’re not sure, wear a mask and stay socially distant. “More and more,” said Dr. Mike Baumann, Chief Medical Officer of Mountain Star Healthcare, which has eight hospitals in Utah.

Dr. Kensey Graves, Chief Medical Officer, Health Associate, University of Utah, Emphasized wearing a mask while attending the Governor’s press conference last week Even though I have been vaccinated since December last year, “I want everyone around me to feel at ease.”

On Wednesday, Graves emphasized vaccination as a way to protect others.

“If you’re not vaccinated, I think it’s important to recognize that the delta variant is infectious and you’re more likely to be hospitalized. I think it’s worth avoiding vaccination. If not, it’s important to keep a social distance from masking, but a more certainty is to get the vaccine, “she said.

Dr. Allen Jarrett, Chief Medical Officer of Steward Healthcare, said: I think it’s behind us. But Mr. Jarrett said the state could do more to remove the barriers that keep Utan away from shooting.

He said they needed information about work holidays, transportation, and even destinations. Steward Hospital has contacted patients, their families and other visitors about COVID-19 vaccination so they can be vaccinated while they are there, Jarrett said.

Hoffman said Utan “has the ability to get together and do the right thing.” I know what tools I need. We know what it takes to delay the spread of COVID-19 and stop it. Many places do it perfectly. ”

Immunization rates vary widely across states and are lowest not only in places like Utah County, where COVID-19 restrictions ignited, but also in rural areas. Widely reported anti-masking protest It finished the County Commission a year ago.

“People know to do the right thing,” Hoffman said. “We have to call on all Utahns to keep it going. It’s unfair that a subset of our population has led to a surge in our illness. We have Utah. You must have a community spirit and altruism that I know you are. ”

Just under half of all Utahs have been vaccinated at least once, and 44.3% have been fully vaccinated against the virus. In other words, more than 2 weeks have passed since the last dose. In Utah, a total of about 2.9 million vaccinations have been given, an increase of 5,138 times per day.

At the same time, another 394 COVID-19 cases were reported by the State Department of Health on Wednesday, reporting two additional deaths from the virus. Both men and women in Iron County were between the ages of 45 and 64 and were both hospitalized at the time of death. .. Utah is currently killing 2,387 people.

The 7-day rolling average of positive tests was 361 per day, and since Tuesday, 3,619 people have been tested in the state and 6,632 people have been tested. This results in a 7-day rolling average of positive rates of 7.9% if all test results are included and 11.8% if multiple individual tests are excluded.

Currently, 260 people are hospitalized in Utah with COVID-19.