SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Local health officials say some people are looking for a COVID-19 vaccine, despite not meeting state requirements.
Health officials move to the waiting list
These individuals, who often travel from county to county in search of a vaccine, are called “vaccine hunters.”
Diane Rindlisbacher, leader of the Intermountain health care system for administering COVID-19 vaccines, said demand among vaccine-eligible residents has been so high that they rarely have to worry about making additional shots. . Although in the rare cases where this happens, they have protocols to follow.
“We have a contingency plan, and most other locations, where you have a waiting list or a call list,” he explains.
For example, he said extra doses were left over after a recent vaccination clinic in Utah County. Site health leaders began calling people who were on the waiting list and many showed up in half an hour.
According to Rindlisbacher, many of the “vaccine hunters” are about to be eligible for a vaccine and are wondering if they can start skipping the process.
“Mostly what we see are people coming in with their spouses who are eligible and just asking what the possibility is, because they’ve known the age will change,” he explains.
More than 600,000 vaccines administered in Utah
According to the Utah Department of Health, more than 600,000 coronavirus vaccines have been administered in the state.
It comes after officials reported an additional 701 cases of coronavirus on Sunday, and 10 residents died of complications from the virus.
The deaths bring the total number of Utahns lost to COVID-19 to 1,852. This figure represents people who died specifically due to the effects of coronavirus disease.
The average of seven days of positive testing is 777 per day. The current number of people hospitalized for the virus is 241.
How to prevent the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus
COVID-19 coronavirus transmitted from person to person. It is a virus similar to the common cold and flu. Therefore, to prevent it from spreading:
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Wear a mask.
- Don’t touch your face.
- Keep children and those with compromised immune systems away from someone who coughs or sneezes (in this case, at least 6 feet).
- If there is an outbreak near you, practice social distancing (staying home, instead of going to the movies, sporting events, or other activities).
- Get a flu shot.
Local resources
Questions and answers about KSL coronavirus
Utah coronavirus information
Utah State Board of Education
Utah Hospital Association
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line: 1-800-456-7707
National resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions, World Health Organization
Cases in the United States