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SALT LAKE CITY – Less than a quarter of the 127,375 reported doses of COVID-19 vaccine received in Utah were used to immunize healthcare providers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities at the end of the year.
“The initial vaccine rollout was slow, slower than expected, slower than we wanted,” said Rich Lakin, director of the immunization program at the Utah Department of Health. “We hope to be at a much faster pace in the next 15 days.”
Vaccinations began Dec. 15 in Salt Lake City, University of Utah Hospital and LDS Hospital at Intermountain Healthcare, and have spread statewide now that a second vaccine is available which does not require special refrigeration.
Nationally, the vaccine rollout has fallen short of plans, with just under 2.8 million people receiving vaccines despite the distribution of more than 12.4 million doses on Wednesday, but the Utah is already starting to speed up the process, Department of Health spokesman Tom Hudachko said.
He said Thursday that more than 6,000 additional doses have been given in Utah, double the daily increases earlier in the week. What makes the difference, said Hudachko, is that local health departments, including tribal clinics, and long-term care facilities are able to give doses much faster than hospitals.
In Davis County, a mass drive-through clinic at the Legacy Events Center is able to immunize 28 healthcare workers at a time with appointments, he said. In long-term care facilities, CVS and Walgreens and other contractors rapidly inoculate residents and staff.
At the state’s largest medical provider, Intermountain Healthcare, 20,000 of 38,000 caregivers are expected to be vaccinated by the end of the week, spokesman Glen Beeby said. He said vaccinations, which started with workers in intensive care and emergency units, are now open to all employees.
The University of Utah Health has vaccinated about 8,300 of its approximately 17,000 employees, prioritizing front-line health care teams, said Kathy Wilets, director of public relations.
The federal government has left it up to the states to determine who gets vaccinated when, and Utah Governor Gary Herbert has added teachers and school staff to the priority list. Hudachko said they are expected to start receiving gunfire the week of January 25, after police, prison guards and other members of the protection services.
This should complete the state’s first phase of vaccine distribution. The health department recently announced that Utahns aged 75 and over will top the list when the second phase of vaccination begins, likely in mid-February.
Others are being considered for prioritization include other older Utahns; those with underlying medical conditions; tribal reserve communities; prisoners and other people living in congregation; and racial and ethnic groups at higher risk of contracting the deadly virus.
State health officials have said it could be July before vaccines are available to all Utahns.
The State monitors the distribution of vaccines by health district. So far, Salt Lake County has received the most doses, nearly 64,000, and has administered more than 13,400 doses according to the most recent data, followed by Utah County, which has used more than 3 800 doses out of more than 18,400 doses.
A total of 30,200 vaccinations were reported in Utah as of Thursday, although the health department says the number of people who have been vaccinated will likely be seven days or more of the number of vaccines shipped to the state.
Utah’s allocation for vaccines next week is 33,575 doses, Hudachko said.
Contributing: Wendy leonard
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