A Utah doctor is concerned when he sees the number of cases reaching a plateau.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Siraj Ahmed, 67, will receive his first free Moderna vaccination on Thursday from Salt Lake County health department student Bailey Weems. More than 120 people would receive their first shots of both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines at the Utah Islamic Center in West Jordan, March 18, 2021.
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Utah continues on its COVID-19 plateau, with 447 new cases reported Friday. And an infectious disease physician from Intermountain Healthcare is concerned that Utahns are starting to slack off ‘a little’.
“We saw that there is a really nice ongoing trend in the number of cases,” said Dr. Eddie Stenehjem. ‘We were then beaten flat. And now I think we are starting to see a slight increase in the number of cases. “
The Utah Department of Health also reported 17 more deaths on Friday. Twelve of these occurred before February 19 and were only recently confirmed as the result of COVID-19. Thirteen of those who died were 65 and older, but one was a man between the ages of 18 and 24 and another was a woman between the ages of 25 and 44.
Because there’s optimism as more people get vaccinations, Stenehjem said, “you’re starting to expand your social circles a little bit and that will lead to an increase in transmissions.” And data shows that the “younger population” – the age groups of 1-14 and 15-24 – has seen an increase in the number of cases.
“We have to keep in mind that vaccinations are indeed going very well. And it is going faster than we expected, both nationally and in the state of Utah, ”he said. ‘But we’re not there yet. We have not vaccinated the masses in such a way that we have any kind of protection from the standpoint of “herd immunity.” “
[Read more: Utahns find the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine can bring harsher side effects]
While Utah is “getting close” and it’s “really an optimistic time,” said Stenehjem, “we just have to be very, very careful not to declare a win before we actually get here at the finish.”
Vaccine Doses Administered Over the Last Day / Total Doses Administered • 31,146 / 1,111,185.
Utahns fully vaccinated • 402,988.
Cases reported in the past day • 447
Deaths reported in the past day • 17.
Salt Lake County reported six deaths: a man between the ages of 18 and 24; one man and three women 65-84; and a man over 85.
Three people were killed in Washington County: two men and a woman 65-84.
Two residents of Cache County died: a woman aged 25-44 and a man aged 85 and older. And two Davis County residents died: a man 45-64 and a man 65-84.
Four counties each reported a single death: a man 65-84 in Iron County; a man aged 85 and older in Tooele County; a woman 45-64 in Uintah County; and a woman aged 65-84 in Weber County.
Hospital admissions reported in the past day • 176. That is 13 lower starting Thursday. Of those currently hospitalized, 61 are in intensive care units – two fewer than on Thursday.
Tests reported in the past day • 5,967 people were tested for the first time. A total of 15,565 people were tested.
Percentage of positive tests • According to the state’s original method, the rate is 7.5%. That is lower than the seven-day average of 8.3%.
The new method counts all test results, including repeated tests from the same person. Thursday’s rate is now at 2.9%, lower than the seven-day average of 4.2%.
[Read more: Utah is changing how it measures the rate of positive COVID-19 tests. Here’s what that means.]
Totals so far • 380,787 cases; 2,058 dead; 15,241 hospital admissions; 2,320,731 people tested.