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More than a half-million vaccine doses in Utah, or more shots than Utahns have had COVID

UPDATED: FEBRUARY 15, 2021 AT 6:00 PM

FILE: Richard Durrant receives his COVID-19 vaccine from Megan Boren, a Salt Lake County Health Department EMT, at the county’s mass vaccination site at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy on Jan. 18, 2021. Photo: Steve Griffin, Deseret News.

BY MARY RICHARDS
KSLNewsRadio

The state of Utah reports doling out more COVID-19 vaccine doses than there are people who’ve had coronavirus since the pandemic began: so far, health officials say they’ve offered more than a half million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the state.

Numbers trending downward

Since last March, state and private testing efforts have confirmed 361,294 cases of COVID-19 in the state.

Over the past week, Utah averaged 958 new cases of COVID-19 per day, the lowest since late September. COVID-19 hospitalizations account for 21% of ICU capacity in the state — the lowest it’s been since mid-October.

The country as a whole is seeing a downward trend as well.

Over a half million vaccine doses

More than 11,000 Utahns got their shot in the latest daily report, and it was around 100,000 in a week for the first time.

It brings the total to 524,000 vaccines administered in total.

That’s 16% of Utah’s total population. Nearly 5% of the population has received both doses. But as Utah’s average age as a state is very young, and children are not currently receiving the vaccine, the percentage of adults receiving it is actually much higher.

According to data from the Utah Department of Health, over 350,000 of those doses went to first-time vaccine recipients, but another 160,000 represent second doses injected.

One dose provides some protection, two better

Health officials say with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the two currently available, two doses provide the most protection against COVID-19, but even one dose provides a lot of protection.

60% of Utahns who are 70 and older have received at least one dose. That’s a key age group affected by this virus.

In a couple weeks, the vaccinations will start to go to a wider group of Utahns, and mass clinics will be appearing throughout the state.

How To Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus

COVID-19 coronavirus spreads person to person, similar to the common cold and the flu. So, to prevent it from spreading:

Wash hands frequently and thoroughly, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds.
Don’t touch your face.
Wear a mask to protect yourself and others per CDC recommendations.
Keep children and those with compromised immune systems away from someone who is coughing or sneezing (in this instance, at least six feet).
If there is an outbreak near you, practice social distancing (stay at home, instead of going to the movies, sports events, or other activities).
Obtain a flu shot.