Wastewater data from testing sites across the Wasatch Back are showing a recent surge in COVID-19 as the holiday tourism season peaks.
Summit County Health Director Phil Bondurant said it’s part of the natural ebb and flow of diseases, and the public should focus on making smart personal health decisions.
“What does that mean? We’re continuing to just be careful, if we are not feeling well then maybe stay home, if possible work from home, or don’t go into the office at all,” Bondurant said. “Avoid some of those social gatherings where we might share that cold or that illness with others in the area, and really just continue to live our lives but do so with an extra set of precautions.”
Summit County hasn’t recorded a death from COVID-19 since March. In total, three deaths and 45 hospitalizations have been reported in the county during 2023, according to the health department’s dashboard.
“Hospitalizations with COVID are different than from COVID,” Bondurant said. “From COVID hospitalization means that you went in because COVID was causing significant illness, with COVID means that you went in for something else, maybe a ski injury or something like that, and through a slew of tests that they ran, found that you also were positive for COVID. And so we have not, at least in my understanding from recent conversations with the hospital, we have not seen anybody enter the ICU or significant overnight stays due to COVID.”
The most recent COVID-19 booster shots and vaccines are available at each of the health department’s three locations in Quinn’s Junction, Kamas, and Coalville. Appointments for flu and COVID vaccines can be booked by calling the health department.
