SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Department of Health officials said they will receive thousands of extra doses of the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine next week.
Overall, it’s a 30% jump from previous weeks, or about 5,500 extra doses – a solid increase considering that Utah receives about 33,000 doses a week.
“We were a little surprised to see this,” said Rich Lakin, director of immunization at the Utah Department of Health. “If they can send us more vaccines, that’s great.”
At the moment, tens of thousands of utahns aged 70 and over are trying to get the vaccine – so many that health department websites across the state have failed.
Lakin said they do not know why they are receiving the extra doses or if this will continue in the future.
“Unfortunately, we only know from week to week what the federal government is going to send us. So it’s really hard to plan for the future when you don’t know how many doses you’re going to get, ”said Lakin. “I am very hesitant that we would have a 30% jump from now on.”
Lakin said they will decide how to distribute the extra doses and to whom they go on Thursday. He is not sure if they will be divided between health departments and may be going to others on the waiting list.
“There are many more than 70 who need to be vaccinated who cannot go to local health departments, and if we can reach these populations at the same time, it also reduces the burden and death from COVID-19,” said Lakin.
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Dan Rascon