Gov. Herbert’s briefing from Nov. 12
In a briefing from the governor’s office on Nov. 12, state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn said Utahns need to be wearing masks more than they are.
She emphasized that people should only have close interactions with those who live in their immediate household. She said these behaviors work and need to be a part of everyone’s daily lives.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert added, “The facts are what the facts are.”
According to the governor, the positivity rate is now about 22%. This number is impacting hospital capability, and intensive care units are overcrowded. The state of emergency was declared to address this issue, he said.
“This should cause us all to take stock in what we are doing individually to slow this spread down,” Herbert said.
The Center for Disease Control is working with Utah to ensure the state is capable of more testing.
Greg Bell, CEO of the Utah Hospital Association, said a mandatory mask mandate is the foundation of any public health address of the problem.
He also said that Utah has needed more testing, so it is great that we are getting it. He reiterated the importance of only interacting with those who live in your household.
According to Bell, hospitals had to start transferring patients about 10 days ago. This happens when an ambulance is on its way to a hospital and they find out that the hospital is full. The patient has to then be transferred to a hospital that is not at capacity. There have been 13 total patients transferred.
Hospitals are also adding additional teams. Intermountain Healthcare has hired another 200 nurses to help the staff when nurses or doctors are out sick. All patients are still being treated, but some hospitals are at capacity in their ICU.
The cause for alarm is because of the trend. More people are getting sick so more people are going to the hospitals. The numbers are escalating.
Herbert encouraged all of Utah to follow the public health guidelines for COVID-19:
- Wear masks, especially when social distancing is not possible. There is now a mask mandate in Utah. 95% of the studies that BYU did shows that you are less likely to get COVID-19 if you are wearing a mask. You should have one on at all times if you are around other people that do not live in your household.
- Gatherings: The area where there is the most rapid spread and the highest rate of infection is in casual social gatherings. For the next two weeks, until Nov. 23, limit social gatherings to those in your household.
- There has been a pause put on all high school sports and extracurricular activities after school. Again, it is until Nov. 23
- Testing: Testing will be ramped up for people between ages 15 to 24. The goal is to find those who are asymptomatic before they infect other people.
It will take a couple of weeks to see if the measures that have been put in place will be effective.
Herbert said, “If we are invested and enlisted in slowing the spread then we can get on top of this. That is a personal challenge for all of us and I am hopeful that people will unite in this effort and do their part to slow down the spread.”
The governor also said he has hope.
“Eventually, I do believe that we will get on top of this but it will only happen if we change behavior.”
There has been quite a bit of talk in the medical community about a vaccine. Herbert said that he believes, in Utah, there will be a vaccine to give to those who are in the healthcare field or those considered high risk in just a few weeks.
kellie.christensen@aggiemail.usu.edu