SALT LAKE CITY — Utah announced another 2,146 COVID-19 cases and an additional 26 deaths from the virus Tuesday as an adviser to President-elect Joe Biden warned Utahns the worst days of the deadly pandemic are still ahead.
The state’s latest numbers show an increase of 11,991 Utahns tested since Monday, with rolling seven-day averages for positive tests now at 2,946 per day and 29.3% for percent of positive laboratory tests. A total of more than 1.84 million Utahns have been tested since the pandemic began last March.
As teachers and school staffs began to be immunized Tuesday, a daily increase of 6,983 vaccinations was also reported, bringing the total number of doses distributed in the state since distribution began in mid-December to 110,530, according to a Utah Department of Health survey.
Earlier Tuesday, a member of President-elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 task force, Dr. Julie Morita, advised Utahns during a virtual health care conference they still need to wear masks, social distance and take other precautions against the spread of the deadly virus even as vaccines are being administered in the state.
“I wish there was just one thing we could all do, the silver bullet that would take care of everybody, but there really isn’t. So it’s really important to do all these things and get vaccinated,” Morita said in a keynote address to the Utah Health Policy Project’s annual Health Care Solutions for Utahns conference.
Morita, a former Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner who now serves as executive vice president of the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, the nation’s largest public health philanthropy, said the toughest times in the battle against the coronavirus are yet to come.
“Regarding the hospitalization and death rates we need to be honest. Things are going to get worse before they get better. And the pandemic is as bad as it’s ever been. Already, more than 22 million people have been infected” nationwide, she said, noting Utah is currently among the states with the highest rates of infection and death.
Biden “will do everything possible to change the course of the pandemic,” Morita said, citing the president-elect’s pledge to administer 100 million doses of the vaccine in his first 100 days, releasing all available supplies once he takes office on Jan. 20 rather than holding back second doses.
She expressed confidence enough vaccine can be produced to ensure no one misses a “timely” second dose, recommended three to four weeks after the first, and said “a massive campaign” will be launched to encourage immunizations.
Outgoing President Donald Trump failed to deliver on a promise of getting 20 million Americans vaccinated by the end of the year, Morita said. As of the start of the week, 9 million of the 25 million doses delivered to the states have been administered.
As key as vaccinations are to getting the pandemic under control, she said, “the reality is vaccines are limited in supply so not everyone who wants a vaccine or should get a vaccine will be able to get it right away,” advising that while those who are high risk should be prioritized, access should be opened up as more doses are available.
The new Democratic administration is sending a COVID-19 funding package to Congress that will also include money for personal protective equipment so most schools can reopen safely, as well as money to ramp up testing, while asking all Americans to wear masks during those first 100 days, Morita said.
There are 560 people now hospitalized with the virus in Utah, with the total number of hospitalizations in the state hitting 12,059. Utah’s death toll has reached 1,422 with the report of 26 new deaths, including 15 that occurred prior to Dec. 22.
The latest deaths reported are:
• A Utah County woman, between 65 and 84, long-term care facility resident.
• A Salt Lake County woman, older than 85, long-term care facility resident.
• A Utah County woman, between 65 and 84, long-term care facility resident.
• A Salt Lake County woman, between 45 and 64, hospitalized at time of death.
• A Utah County woman, between 65 and 84, long-term care facility resident.
• A Weber County woman, between 65 and 84, long-term care facility resident.
• A Utah County woman, older than 85, long-term care facility resident.
• A Weber County woman, older than 85, long-term care facility resident.
• A Salt Lake County woman, between 65 and 84, long-term care facility resident.
• A Davis County woman, between 65 and 84, long-term care facility resident.
• A Davis County woman, older than 85, long-term care facility resident.
• A Salt Lake County woman, between 65 and 84, not hospitalized.
• A Salt Lake County woman, older than 85, hospitalized at time of death.
• A Salt Lake County woman, older than 85, hospitalized at time of death.
• A Millard County woman, between 45 and 64, long-term care facility resident.
• A Washington County woman, older than 85, not hospitalized.
• A Weber County man, older than 85, not hospitalized.
• A Davis County man, between 65 and 84, long-term care facility resident.
• A Salt Lake County man, between 65 and 84, long-term care facility resident.
• A Tooele County man, between 65 and 84, long-term care facility resident.
• A Iron County man, older than 85, long-term care facility resident.
• A Salt Lake County man, older than 85, long-term care facility resident.
• A Salt Lake County man, between 65 and 84, hospitalized at time of death.
• A Salt Lake County man, between 65 and 84, hospitalized at time of death.
• A Cache County man, older than 85, hospitalized at time of death.
• A Washington County man, older than 85, long-term care facility resident.
from Deseret News https://ift.tt/2LiJoFC
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