SALT LAKE CITY — As more vaccinations are distributed in Utah, Gov. Spencer Cox announced Thursday an expansion of residents will be eligible to receive them.
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At his weekly news conference on the COVID-19 response, Cox touted the weekly increase of 95,674 doses - adding that Utah has now administered more doses than the number of people who have tested positive.
“We are trying to be more viral than the virus and it’s happening,” said Cox.
Looking ahead to March and April, Cox says it’s looking better than he thought. Projections show Utah could receive close to 200,000 total vaccines a week, up significantly from 33,000 a week.
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“Again, I want to be clear this are just projections," said Cox. "But they’re important projections because they allow us to start planning for huge increase in March and April."
On March 1, Utahns 65 years and older can start signing up for appointments.
Eligible Utah residents in all counties can sign up here [coronavirus.utah.gov/vaccine-distribution].
In addition, adults of all ages who have the following medical conditions will also be eligible on March 1:
- Solid organ transplant recipients
- Certain cancers
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood, bone marrow, or organ transplant; HIV; use of corticosteroids long-term; or use of other immune weakening medicines long-term
- Severe kidney disease on dialysis or with stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disease
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Severe obesity
- Chronic liver disease including chronic hepatitis B or C
- Chronic heart disease (not hypertension)
- Severe chronic respiratory disease (other than asthma)
- Neurologic conditions that impair respiratory function, including Down’s Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, quadriplegia or hemiplegia,
- Stroke and dementia (Alzheimer’s, vascular, frontotemporal)
- Asplenia including splenectomy or a spleen dysfunction, including sickle cell disease