SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Local health officials say some people are looking for a COVID-19 vaccine despite not meeting state requirements.
Health officials go to the waiting list
These individuals, who often travel from province to province in search of a vaccine, are called “vaccine injectors”.
Diane Rindlisbacher, head of the Intermountain Healthcare System for COVID-19 vaccine administration, said the demand among eligible residents to be vaccinated is so high that they rarely need to worry about additional injections. Although in the rare cases where that happens, they have to follow protocols.
“We have an emergency plan, and most other locations have a waiting list or call list,” she explains.
For example, she said there were extra doses left after a recent vaccination clinic in Utah County. On-site health care leaders began calling those on the waiting list, and many showed up within half an hour.
According to Rindlisbacher, many of the ‘vaccine injectors’ are close to vaccine candidates and are wondering if they can jump-start the process.
“What we usually see are individuals who come with their eligible spouses who are simply asking what the possibility is because they have heard that the age is about to change,” she explains.
More than 600,000 vaccines administered in Utah
According to the Utah Department of Health, more than 600,000 vaccinations against the coronavirus have been administered in the state.
It comes after officials reported a further 701 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, with 10 residents dying of complications from the virus.
The deaths bring the total number of Utahns lost to COVID-19 to 1,852. That figure represents people who have died specifically because of the effects of the coronavirus disease.
The seven-day moving average for positive tests is 777 per day. The current number of people hospitalized for the virus is 241.
How to prevent the spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus
COVID-19 coronaviruses transmitted from person to person. It is a virus similar to the common cold and flu. So to keep it from spreading:
- Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Wear a mask.
- Don’t touch your face.
- Keep children and people with compromised immune systems away from anyone who is coughing or sneezing (at least 6 feet in this case)
- If there’s an outbreak in your area, practice social distance (stay at home, rather than going to the movies, sporting events, or other activities).
- Get a flu shot.
Local sources
KSL Coronavirus Q&A
Utah’s Coronavirus Information
Utah State Board of Education
Utah Hospital Association
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
National sources
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions, World Health Organization
Cases in the United States