CORONAVIRUS

Utah Doctors Cautiously Optimistic About Drop In COVID-19 Hospitalizations

Feb 20, 2021, 8:49 PM | Updated: Jan 4, 2023, 5:30 pm

SALT LAKE CITY — The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Utah has steadily dropped for nine straight days, and that has doctors cautiously optimistic, but they said we can’t let our guard down just yet as the more contagious variant strains continue to spread.

In one month, COVID-19 related hospitalizations have dropped by more than half — going from 532 on Jan. 20 to 242 on Feb. 20.

“What we can even demonstrate locally is that we do feel there is significant change in the mobility and travel volumes between Thanksgiving and December,” said Dr. Todd Vento, infectious disease Telehealth program director at Intermountain Healthcare.

In addition to the post-holiday slowdown in travel, Dr. Vento pointed to several factors, including social distancing, masking, and having more natural antibodies in the community.

“Even though we’ve had almost 400,000 people infected, it means those are up to 400,000 people that might be at less risk from having cases now and being hospitalized,” he said.

Things are also looking good for older Utahns. Data indicates the risk of serious symptoms for those 50+ drops with the vaccine.

“If you think about it, those are the individuals who account for almost 3/4s of our hospitalizations, so if we’ve vaccinated a lot of our older folks, we will probably see fewer hospitalizations,” said the doctor.

According to Utah Department of Health officials, hospitalizations have steadily dropped for nine straight days, but Dr. Vento says we’re not out of the clear yet as new variants of the virus spread.

“When you looked at what happened when the UK strain established itself, the numbers went straight up — almost vertical,” he said. “Every time you see cases go vertical, you know a percentage of those will be in the hospital/ICU, and a percentage will die.”

He’s staying cautiously optimistic. Dr. Vento says masking and social distancing help buy time for more vaccinations, while slowing down transmission rates.

“The more a virus replicates and grows and spreads, the more chance it has to make errors and become mutations that are harder to treat and do with vaccinations,” he said. “That’s why we say keep fighting the good fight.”

KSL 5 TV Live

Coronavirus

Julianna Preece goes through the mountain of medical documents she's acquired for her health condit...

Lauren Steinbrecher

Herriman couple is suing CVS, says 5x Covid vaccine dose mistake caused health problems

A couple is suing a Utah CVS vaccination clinic, saying a nurse’s mistake led to the wife receiving five times the normal COVID-19 vaccine dose and caused serious health issues she’s still dealing with today.

10 days ago

FILE - COVID-19 antigen home tests indicating a positive result are photographed in New York, April...

Associated Press

More free COVID-19 tests from the government are available for home delivery through the mail

Americans can order more free COVID-19 tests online for home delivery.

21 days ago

FILE - Doses of the anti-viral drug Paxlovid are displayed in New York, Aug. 1, 2022. The COVID-19 ...

Amanda Seitz, Associated Press

COVID-19 treatments to enter the market with a hefty price tag

The COVID-19 treatments millions of have taken for free from the federal government will enter the private market next week with a hefty price tag.

1 month ago

Toddlers dance during play time at Living Water Child Care and Learning Center as center director J...

Associated Press

Child care programs just lost thousands of federal dollars. Families, providers scramble to cope

After two years of receiving federal subsidies, 220,000 child care programs across the country were cut off from funding Saturday Utah

2 months ago

Thomas Perlmann, secretary of the Nobel Assembly, right, announces the winner of the 2023 Nobel Pri...

David Keyton and Mike Corder

Nobel in medicine goes to 2 scientists whose work enabled creation of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19

Two scientists have won the Nobel Prize in medicine for discoveries that enabled the development of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 and could be used in the future to create other shots.

2 months ago

child in doctor's office...

Mike Anderson

Flu, COVID cases expected to rise in Utah

The number of COVID-19 diagnoses continues to stay above what we saw over the summer but now some doctors are starting to see early signs of the flu as well.

3 months ago

Sponsored Articles

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Users display warnings about the use of artificial intelligence (AI), access to malicious software ...

Les Olson

How to Stay Safe from Cybersecurity Threats

Read our tips for reading for how to respond to rising cybersecurity threats in 2023 and beyond to keep yourself and your company safe.

Design mockup half in white and half in color of luxury house interior with open plan living room a...

Lighting Design

Lighting Design 101: Learn the Basics

These lighting design basics will help you when designing your home, so you can meet both practical and aesthetic needs.

an antler with large horns int he wilderness...

Three Bear Lodge

Yellowstone in the Fall: A Wildlife Spectacle Worth Witnessing

While most people travel to this park in the summer, late fall in Yellowstone provides a wealth of highlights to make a memorable experience.

a diverse group of students raising their hands in a classroom...

Little Orchard Preschool

6 Benefits of Preschool for Kids

Some of the benefits of preschool for kids include developing independence, curiosity, and learning more about the world.

Utah Doctors Cautiously Optimistic About Drop In COVID-19 Hospitalizations