On Wednesday evening, the Southeast Utah Health Department (SEUHD) announced that the region has received its first allotment of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Today, we received our first allotment of the COVID-19 vaccine at SEUHD,” the health department shared on Wednesday evening. “We are excited to announce we have begun vaccinating our staff in preparation for tier one vaccinations that will take place beginning next week.”
For tier one, it was stated that healthcare personnel that work in high-risk environments from hospitals that provide care to the highest number of COVID-19 patients will be made priority.
Late December to January will shift focus somewhat and has a large number of items. For that timeframe, the vaccine will go to healthcare workers that work in high-risk environments in the remaining hospital facilities as well as remaining healthcare personnel including clinics, pharmacy staff, tribal health, long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing staff and other personnel that are at a higher risk. School staff and public health workers, as well as EMS, first responders, tribal EMS and tribal public health workers, will receive the vaccine at that time as well.
For February and March, long-term care facility staff and residents who have not been vaccinated will be a priority as well as essential workers, with the prioritization to be determined.
March through July will see a large number of groups as well, beginning with tribal reservation communities. Utahns 65 years of age and older, employees with a risk level three, racial and ethnic groups at higher-risk food prep and Utahns with underlying medical conditions will also be highlighted at the time.
Following that, the focus will be on other Utahns within the risk level model, remaining workers in risk level two and and categories and the rest of the residents of Utah. It was stated that this is subject to change based on vaccine availability.
The health department shared that residents may now subscribe to local COVID-19 vaccine information and updates from SEUHD online at https://www.seuhealth.com/covid-vaccine.