St. Mark’s Hospital celebrates day without COVID in-patients
May 19, 2021, 7:44 PM
St. Mark's Hospital in Salt Lake City (Mountainstar Healthcare)
(Mountainstar Healthcare)
St. Mark’s Hospital celebrated a full day with no COVID-19 in-patients on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. It was the first time in 431 days the hospital did not have a patient admitted for that disease.
St. Mark’s marking a COVID milestone
Assistant Chief Nursing Officer Ashlyn Hall was excited to see how things are improving in the community. She says caring for patients in full protective gear has been a burden as staff interacted with patients, and it’s great to see family members able to visit their loved ones again.
That doesn’t mean the hospital has fewer patients overall. She says the pandemic was rough even on people who didn’t get coronavirus.
“People that could have been caring for their chronic problems maybe didn’t do as well in the last year, and so we’re seeing that downstream,” Hall told KSL NewsRadio.
The Utah Department of Health reported 136 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 on Wednesday. 16,597 people have been hospitalized since the beginning of the outbreak.
“We’re just encouraged by the trajectory we’re seeing right now and we hope to continue that trend,” Hall said.
Read more:
- Small COVID-19 outbreak in Kaysville likely linked to school play
- Utah COVID-19 cases will keep decreasing according to health officials
- COVID-19 threshold criteria met in Utah, ending most public health orders
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.
- Seek out the COVID-19 vaccine.
Local resources
Utah’s Coronavirus Information
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
National Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Commonly asked questions, World Health Organization
