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Gov. Spencer Cox introduced Friday Utah is on monitor to begin treating COVID-19 just like the flu or different seasonal respiratory illnesses by March 31, stopping simply in need of declaring the pandemic is over within the state after greater than two years.
“Let me be clear that this isn't the top of COVID,” the governor mentioned throughout a information convention on the state Capitol in Salt Lake Metropolis outlining the Utah Division of Well being’s plans to discontinue testing for all however probably the most susceptible Utahns in addition to each day stories on the unfold of the virus.
The adjustments don’t imply that Utah is “spiking the soccer,” he mentioned.
“Because the state, we're not packing up and heading house. We are going to proceed to see circumstances and outbreaks and hospitalizations and, sadly, deaths. Nevertheless it does imply we're adapting to how we reply to those issues. There's nonetheless work to be performed,” Cox mentioned.
Over the following six weeks, he mentioned the virus testing and therapy now offered by the state well being division will shift to personal well being care programs. COVID-19 vaccinations and monitoring will proceed to be dealt with by the general public well being company, and testing and different provides will probably be stockpiled in case of a future outbreak.
Are some Utahns taking COVID-19 too severely?
It’s a transition from “an emergency posture and right into a manageable danger mannequin,” the place it’s as much as Utahns to resolve for themselves whether or not they should put on a masks, social distance or get vaccinated, the governor mentioned, suggesting that for some not less than, it’s time to be extra relaxed.
“There are an entire bunch of people who find themselves unvaccinated and unboosted and at excessive danger who ought to take this illness way more severely. There are additionally an entire bunch of individuals in our state who're vaccinated and boosted and younger and at low danger who may stand to take this illness rather a lot much less severely,” Cox mentioned.
Each Intermountain Healthcare, the area’s largest well being care supplier, and College of Utah Well being, the one educational well being care system within the mountain west, issued statements after the governor’s announcement stressing the necessity for Utahns to maintain taking precautions in opposition to the virus.
“Intermountain Healthcare strongly encourages Utahns to proceed to make use of good preventive practices, together with masking in public, avoiding massive gatherings, and getting vaccinated or boosted to fight the transmission and extreme well being impacts of COVID,” Intermountain Healthcare spokesman Jess Gomez mentioned.
U. Well being spokeswoman Kathy Wilets mentioned, “Although circumstances are declining, COVID-19 continues to pressure our assets as a hospital system. We ask the general public to proceed to masks, vaccinate, and apply social distancing as we work vigilantly to supply care to our neighborhood.”
Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson mentioned the administration will proceed to encourage Utahns to get vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, together with kids as younger as 6 months outdated as soon as they turn out to be eligible for the pictures. Federal authorities have delayed the approval course of till a examine of a 3rd dose is accomplished, doubtless in April.
“Vaccines have saved a whole lot of lives, and so they’ve prevented a lot unfold,” Henderson mentioned, regardless of breakthrough circumstances like her latest second bout with COVID-19 that saved her house for weeks. Because of being vaccinated, she didn't require hospitalization or ongoing supplemental oxygen this time, not like her first case in 2020.
Vaccinations forestall extreme sickness, the lieutenant governor mentioned, however Utah “has a protracted approach to go” in the case of booster pictures. At present, lower than 61% of all Utahns are absolutely vaccinated, which means it’s been two weeks or extra since their remaining, preliminary dose, and simply over 26% have additionally gotten a booster shot.
The science helps the transfer, Cox mentioned, citing reliance on testing wastewater for the virus and different measures after he informed most Utahns to skip testing in the event that they present signs. Utah’s case counts have dropped since a January surge fueled by the omicron variant, together with hospitalizations, however deaths stay excessive.
Friday, the state well being division reported 15 extra deaths from COVID-19, together with two deaths that occurred earlier than Jan. 18, bringing Utah’s demise toll from the virus to 4,359. There have been additionally 999 new circumstances reported, and 459 individuals are presently hospitalized in Utah with COVID-19.
“We all know the place that is going. We all know what the tendencies are. And if it doesn’t, we now have the flexibility to regulate. This concept that we now have to get caught in some loopy scenario perpetually may be very, very unscientific,” the Republican chief mentioned, noting different states, together with these led by Democrats, are taking related actions.
The governor took a swipe on the information media, saying he's “very disillusioned within the media members that proceed to perpetuate that as a substitute of understanding. We’ve seen an enormous change within the nationwide media and I don’t know if it’s as a result of blue governors are sounding like crimson governors now.”
What ‘endemic’ part means for Utahns
Utahns are prepared for what could be the endemic part of COVID-19, he mentioned. Not like throughout a pandemic, when exponential unfold of a illness encompasses the globe, a illness is taken into account endemic when outbreaks are extra restricted, regardless that hospitalizations and deaths proceed.
“As we’re transferring on to this new part of the pandemic response, as we’re transferring away from a pandemic response, most People, most Utahns, are able to be performed with this,” the governor mentioned, urging Utahns to be respectful of those that proceed to put on masks and take different precautions in opposition to the virus.
However he mentioned it’s “a false query” to ask in regards to the influence of the brand new part on the immunocompromised who depend upon others to take precautions round them as a result of they're extra susceptible to an infection, together with others, together with the aged and youngsters underneath 5 who can not but get vaccinated.
“It's completely false that when you’re immunocompromised, you'll be able to’t shield your self from COVID-19, and that we now have to have each single individual on the earth shield you from COVID-19. That was true a yr in the past. That isn't true at this time,” the governor mentioned, given booster pictures and new therapies.
Two of his siblings are “severely immunocompromised” and one has commonly worn N95 masks for a few years, Cox mentioned, telling Utahns as a result of “we care deeply about our immunocompromised people,” they need to not mock somebody for carrying a masks.
“Give them your love and assist,” as a result of it’s very potential they’re going by way of most cancers therapy. It’s very potential they stay with somebody who's severely immunocompromised. That’s why we now have to be variety and we now have to be respectful of the alternatives folks make,” the governor mentioned.
Cox mentioned he's happy to see companies ending COVID-19 restrictions like masking and vaccination necessities. Having to point out a vaccination card “doesn’t make sense” given what number of breakthrough circumstances there have been with the omicron variant, the governor mentioned.
“I sincerely hope companies will acknowledge that and so they’ll open again up. That’s so vital for us therapeutic and coming again collectively,” he mentioned, including he’d additionally like state lawmakers “to be performed” with laws associated to COVID-19 as a result of that will ship a sign to the general public that the state is transferring on.
Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, informed reporters the governor’s new strategy to COVID-19 in Utah is “spot on,” and that lawmakers have “been saying that for a very long time, and, you understand, that’s the place the numbers are pointing,”
Adams mentioned whereas COVID-19 has been “very tough” for Utah, “we’ve managed it pretty effectively.” He mentioned “hopefully, we’ve obtained brighter days forward of us so far as the virus,” noting Utah’s financial system stays robust. “We’ve been by way of a giant storm and I believe we’ve come by way of it.”
The state well being division is already taking some motion.
Testing websites in Bluffdale and Layton closed earlier this week, and Friday is the ultimate day for testing on the Hyrum Senior Middle in Hyrum, the College of Utah in Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah Valley College in Orem, and the Maverik Middle in West Valley Metropolis. A mass testing web site at BYU’s LaVell Edwards Stadium closes after Sunday.
Every day stories on COVID-19 from the state well being division will finish inside the subsequent six weeks, however no particular date has been set but.
Contributing: Katie McKellar