Intermountain Healthcare Announces Plans To Help With Vaccinations
Feb 12, 2021, 6:31 PM | Updated: 8:47 pm
MURRAY, Utah – As Utah expects larger shipments of Covid vaccine in the coming weeks, Intermountain Healthcare and other health care providers will help give the shots. Nearly two months ago Intermountain Healthcare helped get the COVID-19 vaccinations rolling by giving shots to their front line doctors and nurses. Now, those caregivers are eager to help other Utahns get their vaccinations.
“It’s a great team of people that are working to make this happen,” said Dr. Mark Briesacher, Intermountain Healthcare Senior VP and Chief Physician Executive.
When vaccine eligibility expands in March, Intermountain and other health care providers will help.
“The vaccine supply has increased, and that allows us to join in now in the vaccination of people in the community,” said Briesacher.
A coalition of health care providers, that also includes University of Utah Health, will support local health departments. Intermountain will deploy more than 1,000 health care workers statewide to help with vaccinations.
“We have nurses and medical assistants, and physicians, and really everybody raising their hand, saying ‘hey I can help out at this clinic site or this shift,’” said Briesacher.
Under the leadership of the Utah Department of Health, Intermountain will also help add nine high throughput vaccination sites from Logan to St. George.
“Places that can do 1000 vaccinations a day, or more,” he said.
They also plan several drive-through locations in rural parts of the state.
As Covid case counts and hospital admissions decline, the doctor said it is still too early to tell whether there will be any Super Bowl surge. But, he is encouraged that the number of Utahns protected from the virus is growing, those protected by either the vaccine, or previous illness.
“This is just so important because it reduces the number of people who are susceptible to getting sick if they are exposed,” the doctor said.
It also highlights the community’s commitment o keep the virus from spreading, he said.
“This is just a really good thing, and I think that creates optimism. It creates hope, makes everyone feel good.”
As that percentage of people with immunity increases, Utah should continue to see a decrease in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths, Briesacher said.
