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‘Nothing More Important’ Than Vaccine Distribution, Says Governor Cox

Utah Governor Spencer Cox promised faster vaccine distribution at his maiden COVID-19 briefing Friday.

 

Governor Cox inherited a full plate when he was sworn in as Utah’s 18th Governor earlier this week.

 

At his first COVID-19 briefing on Friday, he wasted no time expressing the urgency of the current situation.

 

“There is nothing more important in any of our careers, collectively, than what we are doing right now,” he said. “This is what the world has been waiting for. This is what we will be judged by; our ability to get these life-saving and career-saving, economy-saving, health-saving drugs out to the people who need them the most.”

 

The Governor also announced an executive order further clarifying the state’s vaccine plan.

 

In particular, vaccines for school staff and adults over the age of 70 will begin in the coming days.

 

Under the order, school staff will be eligible to receive the first dose of the vaccine beginning the week of January 11th. Adults over the age of 70 will be eligible the week of January 18th.

 

The Governor has set a goal of administering vaccines to these groups, including first responders, long-term care facility staff and residents, and frontline health workers by the end of February.

 

As of Friday, the state has administered just under 90,000 doses and began administering second doses to frontline healthcare workers this week.

 

Governor Cox is also now requiring facilities who receive doses of the vaccine to use them within one week of receiving them.

 

The Utah Department of Health reported 3,793 new coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the statewide rolling seven-day average of positive tests over 3,000 for the first time since early December. The average is now at 3,051.

 

The seven-day average of positive laboratory tests is 32.7%.

 

Summit County reported 66 new cases on Friday, it’s second highest day of the pandemic after yesterday’s record-setting 76 cases. Wasatch County reported 43 new cases.

 

Statewide, there are 543 people currently hospitalized with the disease and referral center ICU beds are now at 87.4% capacity. 

 

The Health Department also reported an additional 22 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the statewide death toll to 1,381. None of Friday’s deaths were from either Summit or Wasatch Counties.

Sean Higgins covers all things Park City and is the Saturday Weekend Edition host at KPCW. Sean spent the first five years of his journalism career covering World Cup skiing for Ski Racing Media here in Utah and served as Senior Editor until January 2020. As Senior Editor, he managed the day-to-day news section of skiracing.com, as well as produced and hosted Ski Racing’s weekly podcast. During his tenure with Ski Racing Media, he was also a field reporter for NBC Sports, covering events in Europe.
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