As coronavirus vaccine boosters are becoming available, some local health professionals are frustrated that sizable groups of people still haven’t taken their first initial dose.

“We still have a lot of people in the community who need that first and second dose,” said Amy Carter, Weber-Morgan Health Department epidemiology nurse. “Even with the delta variant, vaccinated people are much less likely to die or become severely ill or hospitalized.”

According to the Utah Department of Health, over the past month, people who are unvaccinated were 5.8 times more likely to die of COVID-19, and 6.4 times more likely to be hospitalized, than those who are vaccinated. To date, 1,538,928, or 48%, of Utahns are fully vaccinated.

Dr. Filip Roos, division chief medical officer for MountainStar Healthcare, said he recommends people who are hesitant about getting the vaccine to talk to their personal physician and to also rely on solid sources for information rather than depending on social media.

“People are dying. If you don’t think they’re dying, look at the statistics. We had 14 additional people pass just in Utah today,” he said in an interview Thursday. “We see people in the ICU for weeks, intubated, suffering unimaginably and we have a way of preventing this disease.”

Roos also pleaded with people to take the politics out of the equation.

“Stop making this a political issue. It’s a health issue. The vaccine is safe and effective. Let’s not even talk about the arguments some people propagate for irrational reasons,” he said. “This is the only way we’re going to stop this generation of new variants. If we continue to allow this virus to fester and replicate, it only allows further creation of new variants, and as we’ve seen, variants can become stronger and more infectious and things could get really scary beyond what we are seeing now.”

Dr. Eddie Stenehjem, an infection disease physician for Intermountain Healthcare, said hospitals in Utah right now are at 101.2% capacity.

“We are definitely in a position where we are struggling for beds for people who need them and I don’t anticipate this getting better anytime soon,” he said. “When you hit capacity, you have to figure out where to put these people, so we end up transferring them to another hospital or we have to find room in another part of the hospital. It’s a very challenging environment right now.”

Stenehjem also said as school is getting back in session, it’s important for parents to send their children back to the classroom wearing masks. On Friday, the Utah Department of Health reported 216 school-aged children tested positive for COVID-19.

“What we expect to see and hope we don’t are some pretty significant transmission in the schools and that could lead to some severe illnesses. Most kids do OK with the virus but we don’t know which kid will be the unlucky one,” he said. “We’re starting to see our numbers climb at Primary Children’s.”

Stenehjem said if kids don’t go to school masked and take all of the precautions such as social distancing and proper hand washing, it could lead to a spillover in transmission.

“Kids will pick it up at school and take it home to their parents and grandparents and it will start to spill over into the community,” he said. “We know the masks work in preventing the spread of all respiratory viruses. Not only do they prevent transmission, but they also provide some protection to the person wearing the mask.”

In addition, he said, cases are increasing among younger populations, stating the average age of those hospitalized has decreased approximately 10 years recently and he predicts those cases will continue to rise.

“Then we will have higher hospitalizations and that’s going to eventually lead to higher amounts of deaths across our state, and I think that’s clearly what we’re seeing,” he said.

Carter said there are multiple sites offering the vaccine, including the health department, some doctor’s offices and clinics, and several local pharmacies.

“Right now, it flat out is our best defense against the virus,” she said. “Please do whatever you can to get out there and get vaccinated. Learn everything you can from reliable sources and your own doctor.”

To find a vaccine site near you, go to vaccinefinder.gov or coronavirus.gov.

WHO CAN GET A BOOSTER?

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose. This includes people who have:

• Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood.
• Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
• Received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection.
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response.

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