SALT LAKE CITY – Hospitals will not temporarily receive initial doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, even if they have not finished inoculating all of their employees, the Utah Department of Health confirmed to FOX 13.
Rather than, under the orders of Governor Spencer Cox to speed up vaccination efforts, local health departments and long-term care facilities will receive doses for emergency responders and vulnerable adults.
“As we increase the number of Utah residents who are currently eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we need to ensure that we are receiving doses for providers who can administer the highest amounts,” said the state health department spokesman. , Tom Hudachko, to FOX 13. “means that in the coming weeks, local health departments and pharmacy partners who are immunizing employees and residents of long-term care institutions will receive all the doses Utah can order each week .
Hospitals have spent the past month vaccinating their healthcare professionals, with priority for those who work directly with COVID-19 patients. But the change means that some hospital staff (who are below the priority scale) will have to wait to be vaccinated.
Intermountain Healthcare said UDOH’s action would not interrupt its second-dose vaccination efforts, which are already underway. About 30,000 health professionals have already received this initial dose.
But Intermountain anticipated that it will not receive any further doses until all employees of the second dose have finished. He did not anticipate a change in the state’s approach, creating any problems.
“The system appears to be working well,” Intermountain spokesman Jess Gomez told FOX 13. “We are releasing these vaccines very quickly.”
The state’s largest health care system has estimated that this means that 10,000 remaining employees will have to wait a few weeks before they can resume their first doses.
The state began offering the vaccine COVID-19 to teachers and elementary and middle school staff this week. Most local school districts chose to start with their older educators first. Next week, it will be offered to adults over 70, as the state begins to prioritize based on age and risk. Governor Cox removed “essential workers” from the list of priorities. Yet, the new governor also pushed for an increase in vaccination efforts.