COVID UPDATE

Dear patient,

Starting March 1, 2021, people between the ages of 65-69 and Utahns 18 or older with any of the following medical conditions will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine: 

Severe or uncontrolled chronic conditions, specifically:

Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or higher (this is also called Class III or severe obesity)

Chronic liver disease including chronic hepatitis B or C, alcohol-related liver disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, or primary sclerosing cholangitis or hemochromatosis

Severe chronic heart disease (other than hypertension) including ischemic heart disease, and severe valve or congenital heart disease

Severe chronic kidney disease (requiring dialysis, or stage 4 or 5 kidney disease)

Severe chronic respiratory disease (other than asthma) including severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, fibrosing lung disease, bronchiectasis, or cystic fibrosis

Uncontrolled diabetes with an A1c of 9.0% or higher

Severe conditions that impair the immune and/or respiratory system, specifically:

Asplenia including splenectomy or spleen dysfunction

Sickle cell disease o Hematologic cancer diagnosed within the last 5 years that began in the blood, bone marrow, or cells in the immune system (such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma)

Non-hematologic cancer diagnosed within last 1 year that didn't begin in the blood or bone marrow (excluding basal and squamous cell cancer diagnoses)

Immunocompromised state from blood, bone marrow, or organ transplant; HIV; longterm use of corticosteroids or other medicines that weaken the immune system

Receiving immunosuppression therapy

Solid organ transplant recipient

Neurologic conditions that impair respiratory function, including cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, epilepsy, motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Parkinson's disease, progressive cerebellar disease, and quadriplegia or hemiplegia

Stroke or dementia (Alzheimer's, vascular, or frontotemporal)

Patients DON'T need to get a doctor's note to schedule their vaccine. COVID-19 vaccine providers will rely on individuals being honest. Patients who do not meet these criteria need to wait until those at highest risk have been vaccinated. Data was used from national and international studies, as well as Utah data, to determine which conditions are at highest risk for developing severe COVID-19 disease. There are conditions outside of this list that are at high risk as well; however, there is only have enough vaccines for those included here.

Patients will need to:

Call the local health department or visit their website to schedule an appointment. Patients must have an appointment. Please understand there is limited vaccines and appointments will fill up quickly. It may take a few tries to get an appointment. Local health departments may also be able to help patients who need accommodations, like transportation or language services. Go to https://swuhealth.org/covid-vaccine/ to register for an appointment.  You will also need to print out the COVID-19 Vaccine Consent Form and take proof of resident status such as a bill with your address or driver's license

Some vaccines require a 2nd dose of the vaccine a few weeks later. The vaccine provider will tell them when to come back for their 2nd shot, depending on which vaccine they received. All FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing disease. 

We expect additional vaccination sites to open up in the coming weeks including at retail pharmacies (Smith's and Walmart) and large mass vaccination clinics provided by health systems or hospitals. Updates on these locations will be posted at coronavirus.utah.gov/vaccine.