Governor Spencer Cox says Utah has hit a “breaking point” when it comes to COVID-19, with rising cases and fewer hospital beds to treat people. For the first time since the pandemic began, Cox says Utah has had an instance where there were no available intensive care unit beds. The biggest impact this has had is on rural hospitals and their ability to transport critical patients.
Deputy director of Utah’s Department of Health Dr. Michelle Hofmann says they are expecting a “possibility of up to 39,000 cases in the month of September alone” for children aged 5-17. On top of this, Primary Children’s says they are seeing a rise in RSV cases, further limiting the number of available beds.
Cox, Hoffman and other health professionals pleaded with Utahns to wear a mask and get vaccinated. Cox says what’s missing from the COVID conversation in Utah is “a little bit of common sense, a little bit of nuance, a little bit of grace and a little bit of understanding.”
