Gov. Cox: Beginning March 8, Utahns Age 50+ Can Schedule Vaccinations
Mar 4, 2021, 11:06 AM | Updated: 4:02 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday announced Utahns ages 50 and older will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning March 8.
He also announced people with diabetes, people with a body mass index of 30 or higher, and people with chronic kidney disease will also be able to schedule appointments for immunization.
He asked people not to make appointments before March 8, but health departments in Davis and Salt Lake counties said eligible residents can make appointments beginning Thursday afternoon. Utah County Health Department will open some appointments at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The governor made the announcement during his weekly COVID-19 update.
He also announced that the state expects vaccines will be open to everyone by early April. That would put Utah a month ahead of the rest of the nation, which is expected to have vaccines available for all adults by the end of May.
“We are really encouraged by our surveys that tell us that 78% of Utahns are willing to get the vaccines, and we receive constant requests for vaccines,” Cox said. “We live in these miraculous times where three safe and effective vaccines are available to us as of this week.”
Both Nomi Health and Intermountain Healthcare began administering doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Thursday. Unlike Pfizer’s and Moderna’s, the J&J vaccine requires only one dose.
Cox also took a moment to remember the Utahns who have been killed by COVID-19. As of Thursday, 1,965 of the state’s residents had lost their lives to the virus.
