Doctors Optimistic About COVID-19 Battle One Year After First Case

Since the first patient arrived at Intermountain Healthcare, many Utahns have suffered in a variety of ways, and more than 1,900 have died. Doctors said immunity is growing by the day.

“It’s been a tough, challenging year, and yet, we find ourselves in a really great place where there’s a lot of optimism about the future,” said chief physician executive Dr. Mark Briesacher.

He said there’s reason to be optimistic, as the community remains cautious about not spreading the virus.

New cases of coronavirus, hospitalizations and deaths have declined nationwide, including those in Utah. All health districts across the state have reported decreases in case counts for all age groups. At the same time, 682,536 doses of the vaccine have been administered, and more than 70% of Utahns 70 years old and older have received their first dose.

The significant improvement addressing the virus, he said, was mostly due to people masking up and social distancing, and the vaccines.

Based on the number of people who have had the virus over the past three months and those who have been vaccinated, protection in the population has been rising.

“As our immunity grows, we will be getting to a point where we can and will relax those restrictions on public gatherings, and I think wearing a mask will become less important,” Briesacher said.

“For now, let’s hang in there, and stick with it because it’s making a difference,” Briesacher said.