FILE PHOTO: Mass vaccination site at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy. (Jed Boal/KSL TV)
SALT LAKE CITY– The COVID-19 vaccination rates in Utah look different based on the county. And this week, more high schools around the Wasatch Front are offering clinics for ages 16 and up to get a COVID-19 vaccine. It adds to the numbers of Utah’s biggest still unvaccinated age group.
The majority of Utahns over age 70 are fully vaccinated, but they’ve been eligible longer. Utahns ages 16 to 49 have been eligible for the last month. Almost 880,000 Utahns are fully vaccinated. That’s 37% of the eligible population 16 and up.
But it varies by the local health department. In some areas of Utah, counties report percentages of people fully vaccinated in the low to mid-twenties, out of their total populations.
The Tri-County Health Department (covering Uintah, Duchesne and Daggett Counties) reports 19.6% fully vaccinated, while Summit County reports vaccination rates more than double that at 43%.
This could be because there are a lot of kids in certain areas who are not eligible and bring the percentage down. Or there are fewer appointments or farther to drive. Or some hesitancy to get the shot, especially in places where COVID-19 transmission is low.
Below are the percent vaccinated in each county, from lowest to highest, as of Tuesday morning, according to the vaccination map on coronavirus.utah.gov:
Tri-County 19.6%
Tooele County 21.4%
Utah County 21.5%
Central Utah 21.6%
Bear River 25.1%
Weber-Morgan 26%
Southwest Utah 26.8%
Davis County 27.2%
Southeast Utah 26.7%
Wasatch County 27.3%
Salt Lake County 29.1%
San Juan 32.1%
Summit County 43%
The state’s vaccine data lets you drill down into even smaller areas on that same page. And differences show up there.
For example, 45.57% of Park City’s total population is fully vaccinated, Bountiful is at 32.8%, and Farmington 30.78% as of Tuesday.
The city of Sandy is at 36.66%, Draper is at 31.89%, and Riverton/Bluffdale sits at 27.1%.
On the west side of Salt Lake City, 22.15% of the Rose Park area is vaccinated. But, the Foothill/East Bench numbers in Salt Lake City are much higher at 44.56%.
In Utah County, Alpine is 27.59%, Pleasant Grove/Lindon is 23.61%, Lehi is 20.66%, and Saratoga Springs 19.3%.
One possible reason for the differing vaccination rates is because Saratoga Springs has more children than Park City. Additionally, Farmington has a mass drive-through location making it easier for residents to receive their shots.
In an effort to vaccinate teens, school districts throughout the state are hosting vaccine clinics to boost vaccination rates. The Salt Lake City and Canyons School District are the latest school districts to join the cause.
Students 16 and older enrolled in either district are able to receive their COVID-19 vaccine through one of the clinics set up by the schools.
Salt Lake City School District students can find information on how and where to get vaccinated here. And Canyons School District students can find the information here.
Utah’s Coronavirus Information
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
