Daily Utah COVID-19 counts now include an assessment of your risk
Aug 12, 2021, 3:26 PM
FILE: Daniel Moore receives his COVID-19 vaccination from Utah Army National Guardsman Colton Shakespear at a clinic at the Shepherd Union Atrium at Weber State University in Ogden on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021. State COVID-19 data released daily now includes information about the risk of death, hospitalization, and infection for people who are unvaccinated. Photo: Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health added a new metric to its daily COVID-19 numbers Thursday: a risk assessment for unvaccinated people compared to vaccinated people.
Health officials reported 1,243 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, for a total of 443,488 since the beginning of the pandemic in Utah.
COVID-19 risk assessment included
For the first time, the numbers included an assessment of COVID-19 risk for unvaccinated people. According to the health department, in the last 28 days, unvaccinated people face 7.6 times more risk of dying from COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated. Hospitalization risk was 6.9 times greater for unvaccinated people, and the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 was 5 times greater for the unvaccinated in the last 28 days.
Since Feb. 1, 2021, as vaccines began to roll out in Utah, health officials say unvaccinated people face 10.7 times greater risk of death, 6.2 times greater risk of hospitalization, and 5.9 times greater risk of testing positive for COVID-19 than vaccinated people.
Currently, Utah health department numbers show 388 people in the state currently require hospital treatment for COVID-19, 151 of them in intensive care. In the winter and spring, when hospitalization numbers were that high, hospitals had fewer patients in the ICU. For example, on Feb. 1, 2021, when 392 Utahns required hospital treatment for COVID-19, that included 129 ICU patients.
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
