Utah reports 22 new deaths from COVID-19, 686 new cases, and a malfunction in vaccination records.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kenley Hansen receives a COVID-19 vaccination from Kirsten Weber, while Utah County residents lined up for vaccinations at a former Shopko store in Spanish Fork, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021.
Utahns who are not among the high-risk groups currently designated for shots who could schedule a COVID-19 vaccination through the state website will now see those appointments canceled.
On Saturday, officials learned that there was a malfunction in the state process that allowed some residents to register even if they were not 65 or older or had a qualifying medical condition.
According to a statement Saturday night by Tom Hudachko, director of communications for the Utah Department of Health, about 7,200 people who did not meet the eligibility requirements were able to book an appointment.
“These appointments will be canceled for the next 24 hours, and email notifications will be sent to any person whose appointment has been canceled,” the statement read. “Several hundred people have already canceled appointments on their own after learning about the error on social media.
“If someone thinks their appointment has been wrongly canceled, they should contact the local health department where they scheduled their appointment, or they can reschedule their appointment online.”
People who went straight to the state’s vaccination site, filled out the form, and answered the questions truthfully – even if they didn’t have a qualifying medical condition – could secure available appointments, the Salt Lake County health department said in a statement Saturday afternoon. .
“We ask the public not to make appointments if they do not have a qualifying medical condition,” the statement said. “We’re asking that they cancel that appointment so someone at higher risk can take it and get the vaccine.”
People who meet the state qualification can keep their agreements.
The vaccination outage came on a day when the number of COVID-19 cases in Utah fell below four figures, with 686 cases reported Saturday. That is two weeks when the daily number of cases is below 1,000.
However, the state registered 22 new deaths from the virus, 12 men and 10 women. Nineteen of those deaths occurred before Feb. 6, the Utah Department of Health said.
Vaccinations administered in the past day / total vaccinations • 19,757 / 702,293.
Number of Utahns that have received two doses • 249,398.
Cases reported in the past day • 686.
Deaths reported in the past day • 22.
• Seven from Salt Lake County, two men between 65 and 84 years old; and five women between the ages of 65 and 84.
• Four from Washington County, a man and a woman, both over the age of 85; two men between 65 and 84.
• Three from Utah County, one male over the age of 85; and two women between the ages of 65 and 84.
• Two from Beaver County, one man over the age of 85 and one man between the ages of 65 and 84
• Two from Emery County, one woman over the age of 85; and a man between 65 and 84.
• Two from Weber County, two men between the ages of 45 and 64.
• One from Cache County, a woman aged 65-84
• One from Davis County, a male between the ages of 65 and 84.
Hospital admissions reported in the past day • 223, eight less than Friday. Of those currently hospitalized, 89 are in intensive care units – five fewer than Friday.
Tests reported in the past day • 6,752 people were tested for the first time. A total of 17,724 people were tested.
Percentage of positive tests • By the state’s original method, the seven-day moving average is 12.2%.
The state’s new method counts all test results, including repeated tests from the same person. The seven-day moving average is now at 5.5%.
Totals so far • 370,770 cases; 1,929 dead; 14,664 hospital admissions; 3,798,843 people tested.