Stock image. | Photo by Anton Litvintsev / iStock / Getty Images Plus, St. George News
ST. GEORGE – The number of Southern Utahns hospitalized in one day because of the coronavirus reached 70 in the past two days, when the medical team began receiving a second injection to complete the immunization for COVID-19.
According Southwestern Utah Department of Public Health, 75 residents were hospitalized by COVID-19 on Tuesday and 69 on Wednesday. The previous high was 61 on November 29.
The local death toll from COVID-19 reached 150 on Wednesday, according to the Utah Department of Health, with 54 of those deaths occurring last month.
The number of new infections was also over 300 on Wednesday, with 325 new infections. The local health department said there are 8,237 people in southern Utah currently infected with the virus.
The biggest outbreak is in Beaver County, where with 240 active cases and a population of 6,795, 3.5% of the population in Beaver County is infected.
Medical experts, both local and state, are preparing for a spike in new infections, hospitalizations and deaths due to holidays. It has been 12 days since Christmas, with a virus gestation period of five to 14 days.
Meanwhile, the number of people who received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has now tripled since Friday, according to Utah Department of Health data, with the local health district now operating vaccination clinics at points in each one of the five counties.
At the same time, the Southwestern Utah Health District continues to receive supplies of both vaccines that are stored in refrigerators waiting to be administered.
According to the Utah Department of Health, on Wednesday, 11,175 doses of the vaccines were sent to southern Utah and 2,821 were administered.
Dr. Tamara Sheffield, medical director of community health and prevention at Intermountain Healthcare, said the public needs to be patient with the way the vaccine is being administered.
“ANIt all depends on logistics. It all comes down to how to get the vaccine to those places and get people who are prioritized to those places, ”said Sheffield. “This is a marathon, not a race, because there is a limit to the number of hours we have and the number of people who give vaccinations ”.
In a preview of how most people who want the vaccine in southern Utah will get it, The Southwest Utah Department of Public Health started vaccine clinics this week. Along with medical professionals, including dentists and pharmacists, the department has now added first aid to those who can make an appointment to receive the vaccine. This includes police and firefighters.
This is in contradiction to previous statements, both from state and local health departments, that teachers and elementary and high school officials would be next in line to receive the vaccine, although they must still follow the first respondents.
At the end of this article, links can be found for non-hospital medical workers and first responders to make an appointment for the vaccine.
While more Southern Utahns are receiving their first dose of the vaccine, the first people locally are receiving their second injection of the vaccine that is needed to complete their immunization of COVID-19, which includes those at St. George’s Regional Hospital who were among the first people receiving the first doses of the vaccine on December 16.
Based on vaccine tests, it is the second dose most likely to have side effects such as fever, headaches and chills in 24 to 48 hours. A resident of Cedar City who was part of the Modern vaccine test mentioned having “two miserable days” after his second injection, but he also does not regret having received the injection and remaining free of the virus, despite multiple exposures to it since.
Sheffield said that in addition to the sore arms, less than 3% of the approximately 25,000 Intermountain workers who received the initial dose of the vaccine had fevers as a side effect, although she expects more with the second dose.
Sophie Woodbury, a surgical nurse at Intermountain Hospital in Murray, Utah, received her second dose on Tuesday. She said the second dose had worse side effects, but nothing that a couple of Advil can’t handle.
“After my first dose, I had no side effects. (Wednesday) in the morning, I woke up with a headache and ibuprofen solved it, ”said Woodbury, adding that working days treating patients with COVID-19 are still difficult, but she has had a new peace of mind since she was vaccinated. “When I have difficult days, I don’t need to feel so condemned … that this pandemic is over, and I am fighting ”.
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine
- People who can currently get the vaccine: Those who work in non-hospital health units (clinics, pharmacies, dentists or other doctors’ offices); The first to respond, including police, fire and paramedics.
- You must register in advance online for an appointment time (you must call to register in Beaver County). Walk-ins will not be accepted.
- You must have a personal identification, work card and wear a short sleeve shirt at the appointed time.
- Vaccines through The Southwestern Utah Department of Public Health is free.
Washington County:
Where: St. George’s Office of the Southwest Utah Department of Public Health, 620 S 400 East, 2nd Floor Conference Room, St. George, 84770.
When: Thursday, from 8 am to 4 pm; Monday, January 11th to Thursday, January 14th, from 8 am to 4 pm
Click to register for Thursday
Click to register any other day
Iron County:
Where: Southwest Utah Department of Public Health, Cedar City office, 260 DL Sargent Dr., Cedar City, 84721.
When: Tuesday, 9am to 4pm
Click to register
County Kane:
Where: Kanab Office of the Southwest Utah Department of Public Health, 445 N. Main St., Kanab 84741.
When: January 13, from 10 am to 1 pm
Click to register
Garfield County:
Where: Southwest Utah Department of Public Health Panguitch Office, 601 Center St. Panguitch 84759.
When: Monday, 10:30 am to 1:30 pm
Click to register
Beaver County:
Where: Southwest Utah Beaver Office Department of Public Health, 75 1175 North, Beaver 84713.
When: Tuesday from 10 am to 1:30 pm
Click to register
COVID-19 information resources
St. George News made every effort to ensure that the information in this story was accurate at the time it was written. However, as the situation and science surrounding the coronavirus continues to evolve, it is possible that some data has changed.
Check the resources below for updated information and resources.
Southern Utah coronavirus count (as of January 6, 2020, average of seven days in parentheses)
Positive COVID-19 tests: 18,693 (234.9 new infections per day in seven days, increasing since December 31)
- The Southwest Utah Department of Public Health did not release county-by-county numbers on Wednesday and said there was now a 24-hour delay.
New infections for major southern Utah cities (figures released before southern Utah numbers):
- São Jorge: 137 (going up)
- Washington City: 34 (autumning)
- Hurricane / LaVerkin: 33 (Increase)
- City of Ivins / Santa Clara: 14 (autumning)
- Cedar City: 51 (Increase)
Deaths: 150 (2 per day, increasing)
- Washington County: 124 (8 new since December 31 report: man hospitalized 45-64, woman hospitalized 65-84, man hospitalized 65-84, woman over 85 at home, woman over 85 in home, male hospitalized 45-64, hospitalized) male 65-84, long-term care female over 85)
- Iron County: 15
- Garfield County: 7
- County Kane: 2
- Beaver County: 2
Hospitalized: 69 (increasing)
Active cases: 8,237 (increasing)
Current seven-day average in Utah: 2,963 (increasing)
Vaccines sent to southern Utah: 11,175 (+1,300)
Number of initial vaccine injections in southern Utah: 2,821 (+ 2,101)
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.