SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Those eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Salt Lake County should have an easy time securing an appointment this week.

“We’re anxious to make sure that every 70-year-old and older has had access to the vaccine,” said Dr. Audrey Stevenson with the Salt Lake County Health Department.

If you're 70 or older and live in Salt Lake County, right now you can schedule your COVID vaccine for THIS WEEK:https://t.co/HM6TaNWctT pic.twitter.com/CtO4qGE2G4

— Salt Lake Health (@SaltLakeHealth) February 15, 2021

The health department said it received additional doses of the vaccine this week and has “open appointments immediately available for anyone 70 or older who lives in Salt Lake County,” according to a media advisory sent out Monday.

Stevenson said they are asking for the public’s help to spread the word to eligible residents.

“When we look at the demographics of Salt Lake County and the number of individuals that fall within that age group of 70 years of age and older, we see that we still haven’t fully covered the numbers that we anticipate,” she said.

While appointments are widely available this week, Stevenson warned, “We can’t say that’s necessarily going to be the case next week as we start to see any changes as far as the recommendations of the priority groups.”

Competition for vaccine doses is expected to resume around March 1 as Utah allows those 65 and older and adults with certain health conditions to get access to the vaccine.

“As soon as we get enough we will open it up,” said Charla Haley, spokesperson for the Utah Department of Health. “March 1 is just a target date.”

Utah County and the Bear River health departments told KSL-TV last week that they would be ready to move to the next age group sooner if the state would give the go-ahead. But Haley indicated Tuesday that local health departments have the flexibility to make the decision.

“If they feel like they’ve exhausted that 70 and older population, there’s no problem with them opening it up to 65 and older if they have more vaccine than what they’re being able to use,” Haley said. “We’d rather see the shots in arms.”

Gov. Spencer Cox’s office told KSL Tuesday that no changes have been made yet to the March 1 date.

Appointments in Salt Lake County are available in downtown Salt Lake City at the Salt Palace Convention Center, West Valley City at the Maverik Center and Sandy at the Mountain America Expo Center.

Appointments can be scheduled online at SaltLakeHealth.org or by calling 385-468-7468.

Meanwhile, another storm that could bring as much as five inches of snow to the area forced the department to reschedule appointments already made for Wednesday, Feb. 17.

Example: If you have an appointment scheduled tomorrow at 2pm at Mountain America Expo Center, your appointment is now Sun., Feb. 21, at 2:00 p.m. at Mountain America Expo Center. If you can't attend your new Sunday appt., call 385-468-7468 to rebook for another date/time.

— Salt Lake Health (@SaltLakeHealth) February 17, 2021

People who made those appointments for Wednesday have been moved to the same scheduled time and location on Sunday.

Officials said everyone with an appointment in Salt Lake County Wednesday had been notified by email or text.