Weekly COVID update: New shift in the pandemic

During Thursday’s weekly press conference, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, along with Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson and Dr. Angela Dunn, talked about the continued decrease in COVID-19 cases. The governor also spoke about the increase in vaccine doses being administered to Utahns.

“I want to reflect a little about where we are in this pandemic,” Cox said.

He said it was during this time last year that he and Dunn had their very first press conference. He added that, at the time, they knew very little about the virus. However, during last weekend’s operational briefings, they “felt a shift.”

“That’s what I want to share with you,” Cox said. “It’s the optimism we’ve been talking about.”

Cox and his team are finally feeling like they are in the “fourth quarter of the pandemic,” he said, and they have a lead for the first time.

Dunn gave the update on the numbers. She said the rolling seven-day average of new cases is at 1,049. This is a decrease from last week when the state was at 1,264. Just one month ago, the rolling seven-day average was 2,575. The seven-day percent positivity average is 14.8%. Four weeks ago, it was around 26%.

Dunn also addressed new Center for Disease Control guidelines on how masks should be worn.

“There’s been a lot of discussion on whether you should wear one mask, two masks, what type of masks should you wear,” she said. “We have good scientific evidence that fit and quality are the two factors that matter most.”

She added that a mask should always be snug around the face, and it should always have multiple layers.

“So, if you are wearing a cloth mask that has a single layer, wear two single layer masks.”

She stressed that the CDC has found when two people are six feet apart, and wearing snug-fit masks, 95% of droplets are prevented from spreading to each other.

For vaccine doses, Cox said the total number of vaccines administered, first and second doses, now total 462,770.

In addition, over 100,000 doses were administered just this last week. Cox said it was their “largest week yet,” and credited the local health departments for their hard work.

He added that 89% of residents in long-term care facilities have been vaccinated.

Utah has approximately 229,895 people aged 70 or older. As of Feb.10, nearly 49% have been vaccinated.

“About 73% of the deaths in our state have been those 70 or older. So, to to have half of them vaccinated means that we can significantly reduce deaths,” Cox said.

He also said everyone in that age demographic will get vaccinated over the next couple of weeks.

For other age cohorts, everyone should be able to get vaccinated in the next few months.

According to Henderson, as of Feb.11, the state is also issuing a call to action to help with vaccinations. She said they were announcing a statewide volunteer effort for those able and wiling to assist in the operation.

Anyone interested can go to https://www.utahresponds.org/.

Henderson said registration is open to both medically licensed professionals and anyone who is not medically licensed, but just wants to volunteer.

Volunteers will be asked to help in local health departments and “stand-up clinics” that will begin opening up in March.