Utah reports 22 new deaths due to COVID-19, 686 new cases and a problem in vaccination records.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kenley Hansen receives a COVID-19 vaccination from Kirsten Weber as Utah County joins for vaccinations at a former Shopko store in the Spanish Fork on Wednesday, January 27, 2021.
Utahs who are not currently in the high-risk groups designated for vaccines who have managed to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination through the state website will now see these meetings canceled.
On Saturday, officials learned that there was an error in the state process that allowed some residents to register even if they were not 65 years of age or older or had a qualified medical condition.
According to a statement on Saturday night from Tom Hudachko, communications director for the Utah Department of Health, about 7,200 people who did not meet the eligibility requirements were able to make appointments.
“These meetings will be canceled within the next 24 hours, and email notifications will be sent to each person whose meeting has been canceled,” the statement said. “Several hundred people, after learning about the error on social networks, have already canceled their own appointments.
“If anyone considers that their appointment has been canceled in error, they should contact the local health department where they scheduled their appointment or try to reschedule their appointment online.”
People who went directly to the state vaccination site, filled out the form and really answered questions – even if they did not have a qualifying medical condition – were able to secure their available appointments, the County Health Department said. Salt Lake in a statement Saturday afternoon.
“We ask the public to refrain from making appointments if they do not have an eligible medical condition,” the statement said. “We ask you to cancel this meeting so that someone at higher risk can get it and receive the vaccine.”
People who meet the state qualification can keep their appointments.
The vaccination issue came on a day when the number of COVID-19 cases in Utah remained below four figures, with 686 cases reported on Saturday. This marks two weeks when the daily number of cases was below 1,000.
The state recorded 22 new deaths caused by the virus, however, 12 men and 10 women. Nineteen of those deaths occurred before Feb. 6, the Utah Department of Health said.
Past vaccinations / total vaccinations • 19,757 / 702,293.
Number of Utahns who received two doses • 249,398.
Cases reported the other day • 686.
Deaths reported last day • 22.
• Seven from Salt Lake County, two men between the ages of 65 and 84; and five women between the ages of 65 and 84.
• Four from Washington County, a man and a woman, both over 85; two men between 65 and 84 years old.
• Three from Utah County, a man over 85; and two women between the ages of 65 and 84.
• Two from Beaver County, a man over 85 and a man between 65 and 84
• Two from Emery County, a woman over 85; and a man between 65 and 84 years old.
• Two from Weber County, two men between 45 and 64 years old.
• One from Cache County, a woman between 65 and 84 years old
• One from Davis County, a man between 65 and 84 years old.
Hospitalizations reported last day • 223, eight less than on Friday. Of those currently hospitalized, 89 are in intensive care units – five fewer than on Friday.
Tests reported the other day • 6,752 people were tested for the first time. A total of 17,724 people were tested.
Percentage of positive tests • According to the initial state method, the seven-day average is 12.2%.
The new state method counts all test results, including repeated tests of the same individual. The seven-day rolling average is now at 5.5%.
Totals so far • 370,770 cases; 1,929 deaths; 14,664 hospitalizations; 3,798,843 people tested.