Why doctors say Utah is in a “much better place” as far as COVID-19 is concerned

Utah is now in a “good place” in the fight against COVID-19, as the Utah Department of Health reported an additional 422 new COVID-19 cases and 6 additional deaths from the virus. Intermountain Healthcare Infectious Disease Doctors Said on Friday.

“It’s an optimistic time,” Dr. Eddie Stenehem told reporters at a virtual press conference by the region’s largest healthcare provider. The number of cases, positive test rates, hospitalizations, and deaths are all declining, even though there are still very ill patients hospitalized for the deadly virus, Stenehem said.

At the same time, doctors said more and more Utahns were vaccinated against COVID-19.

As of Friday, a total of 1,450,263 vaccines had been given to Utahns, an increase of 40,049 times per day, the Ministry of Health reports. Currently, nearly 522,000 Utains are fully vaccinated. That is, at least two weeks have passed since the last dose.

“This is a good place for us in Utah right now,” says Stenehjem, given the accelerating number of cases in about 30 states, including Michigan. “We are never outside the forest, but man, we are in a much better place than three months ago.”

Spring break activity, especially when more contagious variants of the virus continue to surface throughout the county, if the drinker is not wearing a mask and is not at a social distance, COVID-19 It may cause a new surge in the number of cases, but the increase in cases is after winter vacation.

About 80% of Utahn over the age of 70 are vaccinated, doctors said. “Therefore, even if this rise is seen, it could slow down in terms of hospitalization and death,” the doctor said. In addition to protecting its vulnerable population, he said warmer weather meant that people were spending more time outside, where infections were reduced. ..

Still, Stinehem warned, “Don’t be vigilant.” He continued to apply the same public health recommendations, such as wearing masks, even after the state-wide obligations expired on April 10, as Utah is still prevalent in “significant amounts” of the virus. Said. “This isn’t gone.”

According to Stenehem, even children playing outside need to wear a mask if they are close to others and there is still air left. Utah’s first virus kills a childReported in March was a boy in Salt Lake County between the ages of 1 and 14 who was hospitalized at the time of his death.

As vaccinations increase, Utah “will probably be able to take some more relaxed public health measures in the summer,” doctors said. He and his family said they would continue to wear masks until science “tell us that it is safe to give up protection against the spread of the virus.”

A new law ending state-wide mask mandates on April 10 will remove other restrictions as soon as the state receives 1.63 million initial vaccinations if cases and hospitalization rates remain low. ..Although it is expected to be in mid-May K-12 mask requirements are valid until June..

The latest number of cases brings the total number of Utah coronavirus cases to 386,550 since the outbreak of the pandemic over a year ago. The 7-day rolling average of positive tests is currently 407 per day, and department data show that since Thursday, an additional 5,761 Utahns have been tested for COVID-19 and an additional 14,258 tests.

More than 2.4 million Utahns have been tested for just under 4.3 million, with a 7-day rolling average of test positives of 3.4%, including all results, used by the state to calculate transmission levels. The method is 6.9%. Multiple test results from individuals over the last 90 days are excluded.

Currently, 138 people are hospitalized in COVID-19 in Utah, and the total number of hospitalizations in the state has increased to 15,573.

The coronavirus killed 2,131 people in Utah, with six reportedly dead on Friday. These deaths, including four people who occurred before March 1, are:

• Davis County female, 65-84 years old, resident of a long-term care facility.

• A man from Salt Lake County between the ages of 65 and 84 was hospitalized.

• A woman in Millard County between the ages of 65 and 84 was hospitalized.

• A man from Weber County over the age of 85 who lives in a long-term care facility.

• A woman from Salt Lake County between the ages of 65 and 84 was hospitalized.

• A Utah County woman over the age of 85 who lives in a long-term care facility.