The temporary benefit will help to lower the cost of broadband service for eligible households during the COVID-19 pandemic. Enrollment for the program begins on May 12, 2021.

“Broadband internet is vital for Utahns’ economic well-being, including participation in and access to online work, school, healthcare, and other essential services,” said Dan Hemmert, GOED’s executive director. “We know there are households that need to connect to the internet for essential services but can’t afford it. The Emergency Broadband Benefit will help to ensure every household in Utah has access to the benefits of online connection as we complete our pandemic recovery.”

The $3.2 billion program provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying tribal lands.

Additionally, the benefit provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the
purchase through a participating broadband provider.

Eligible households must include a member that meets one of the criteria below:

• Has an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in specific assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, or the FCC’s Lifeline program
• Approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, in the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year
• Experienced a substantial loss of income through job loss or furlough since Feb. 29, 2020, and the household had a total income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program.

GOED, and its partners in the EBB program, realize the benefit is critical to ensuring as many Utah households are connected to broadband as possible.

“This program extends a low-cost opportunity for internet and computing devices to households who may not have qualified for previous programs like Lifeline,” said Utah State Librarian Chaundra Johnson. “The Utah State Library urges community partners to spread the word and make sure Utah’s most vulnerable populations have a chance to participate in this unique discount program.”

Additionally, this program will provide financial relief to historically underserved communities navigating increasingly digital spaces.

“The full use of digital tools and technology is imperative to a thriving and equitable society for multicultural communities and families in Utah,” said Nubia Peña, director of the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs.

Dr. Sydnee Dickson, superintendent of the Utah State Board of Education, commented, “We have to treat broadband as an essential utility, like electricity, to bridge the digital divide and resulting knowledge gap for families.”

Additional Information

Informational materials have been created by the organizations and will be available for statewide distribution. Visit GOED’s Emergency Broadband Benefit webpage for information about how to apply for the program.

Additional information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit is available at fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit or by calling 833-511-0311 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. (EDT) any day of the week.

Additional financial relief resources related to the pandemic can be found on our Community Resources page.

View the full new executive order here

More than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been administered in the United States, and six people have reported experiencing blood clots. Nearly 77,000 Johnson & Johnson doses have been administered in Utah with no reports of blood clots among those patients.

“Even though these cases have occurred in just one out of every one-million people who have received the vaccine, and even though it will slow our efforts to vaccinate Utah residents against COVID-19, calling for this pause is the right thing to do,” said Rich Saunders, UDOH executive director. “It’s critical the public be confident in the COVID-19 vaccines, and in order to build and maintain that confidence reports like these must be taken seriously and fully investigated to determine what role, if any, the vaccine played.”

The UDOH will coordinate closely with the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the coming days and will determine how to move forward based on those agency’s review of the situation.

The two other COVID-19 vaccines, manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna, represent the significant majority of doses administered in Utah and are unaffected by this announcement. More than 1.8 million doses of those vaccines have been administered in Utah.

If you are currently scheduled to recieve a Johnson & Johnson vaccine, your health provider should be contacting you with more information. To find a vaccine provider, please visit our Vaccine Distribution page.

What to watch for if you got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine

If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than a month ago, your risk for severe reactions is very low.

It’s common to have mild or moderate side effects after you get a vaccination. This means your body has started to create an immune response and is learning to fight the virus. Side effects like a sore arm or fever are normal after you get a vaccine. These reactions usually happen within the first 24-48 hours after you get a vaccine and last for a few days. These side effects can affect your daily activities but go away after a couple of days.

The side effects we are concerned about with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are different and happened between 6 and 13 days after the person received the vaccine. If you have any of the symptoms below after you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, call a healthcare provider and seek medical care:

• Leg pain
• Severe abdominal pain
• Shortness of breath or chest pain
• Severe headache

Monitoring for vaccine safety

The vaccine is safe and effective at protecting you from COVID-19. The development process was transparent and rigorous, with continual oversight and expert approval. Every phase of every trial was carefully reviewed and approved by a safety board and the FDA. Even after trials are complete and vaccines are authorized, vaccines are still monitored for safety.
 
The CDC and FDA continue monitoring for side effects to pick up on adverse events that may not have been seen in clinical trials. If an unexpected adverse event is seen, experts quickly study it more to see whether it is a true safety concern. Experts then decide whether changes are needed in vaccine recommendations. This monitoring process is already in place, and is used for all vaccines, not just COVID-19. This is how we make sure the benefits of getting a vaccine continue to outweigh the risks.

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)

VAERS is the national system that collects reports of side effects that happen after vaccination. If reports are unexpected, appear to happen more often than expected, or have unusual patterns, experts quickly study it further to see whether it is a true safety concern.

VAERS serves an important purpose to help public health experts watch for unexpected side effects from vaccines. However, VAERS is often misused by people to spread misinformation. Common misuses are to take unverified reports from the VAERS database and represent them as facts, or to take them out of context. It’s important to remember that VAERS reports are unconfirmed. Anyone can submit a report to VAERS and all reports are immediately available to the public, before they have been researched or verified. Reports of concern are verified and undergo scientific study. For verified information about side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine, follow credible sources like CDC.  

If you think you may have had an adverse side effect to a vaccine, you can report it to VAERS. You can also call the Utah Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. Hotline operators can help you know if you should seek medical care or report the side effect to VAERS.

Learn more about VAERS here.

The new order will go into effect tomorrow, April 10, 2021 and will remain in effect until June 15, 2021 unless otherwise modified or amended. 

View the full order here.

Additional information on the public health order as well as the Transmission Index may be found at coronavirus-stage.at.utah.gov/utah-health-guidance-levels. 

Utah Lt. Governor Diedre Henderson and US Senator Mitt Romney visited one of many COVID-19 vaccination clinics on Friday, volunteering and thanking the healthcare workers for their hard work.

The vaccine site at the North Davis Senior Center was set up as a specific Spanish community outreach clinic. The site was set specifically set up to focus on some of utah’s multicultural communities.

During remarks, Lt. Gov. Henderson said that the state has an obligation to remove all barriers to getting vaccinated.

“The pandemic has affected every Utahn,” said Lt. Gov Henderson. “But not every Utahn has the same access to the opportunities and the resources to protect themselves and their families.”

The vaccine site was set up through the Davis County Health Department and the Midtown Community Health Center. Community health workers fluent in Spanish, and other languagues, has helped remove barriers for some wanting to be vaccinated against COVID-19 

This targeted vaccination outreach is part of the state’s Health Equity Roadmap. The document provides specific goals intended to help ensure an equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine.

To find a list of all vaccination sites, visit our Vaccine Distribution Page.

Let’s be clear, elected officials do not decide when a pandemic is “over.” COVID-19 will remain in our society long after the official “pandemic” period has passed. These bills represent balancing the desire by the Legislature to decrease restrictions across the state with the need to remain diligent in protecting the health of all Utahns. 

Broken down, this is what each of these bills mean to the COVID-19 response: 

HB 294 – “Pandemic Emergency Powers Amendments” 

Signed by Governor Cox on 3/24/21

This bill ends certain restrictions put into place by executive and public health orders related to COVID-19. The termination of those restrictions is based on specific, data driven milestones; for example, case rates, ICU utilization, and vaccine availability . 

The final version of the bill says restrictions will end once Utah’s 14-day case rate reaches a level below 191 per 100,000, the state’s ICU seven-day hospitalization rate is less than 15%, and at least 1.63 million prime doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been allocated to the state. While we anticipate these thresholds will be met by July 1, 2021, should we see another spike in cases, public health officials will work with Utah’s elected leaders to implement appropriate safety measures after this date. 

The bill removes the statewide mask mandate on April 10 regardless of meeting the metrics stated above. However, masks can still be required for group gatherings of more than 50 people. County governments still have the ability to enact local restrictions if they choose. These local restrictions would end once the state meets the metrics previously stated. 

The bill also allows private businesses the ability to keep mask requirements in place if they choose. Please be respectful of business owners and staff at businesses that choose to require masks in their buildings. Likewise, please be respectful of individuals who don’t feel it necessary to wear masks where they’re not required. 

The bill also keeps in place the mask mandate and other safety measures for public K-12 schools until, at the latest, July 1, 2021. School districts should continue to work with their local health departments to ensure the health and safety of all of Utah’s school aged children. 

Even after statewide restrictions and mask mandates have been lifted, guidance set forth in the Utah Transmission Index, COVID-19 Business Manual, COVID-19 School Manual and on the Protect Yourself page related to quarantine and isolation is valuable and should be considered when meeting with others outside your household. The Utah Department of Health still encourages the use of face masks as an effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

You can read the full bill here. 

SB 107 – “In-Person Instruction Prioritization”

Signed by Governor Cox on 3/24/21

This bill is intended to keep schools open and kids in the classroom. It requires the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) to support widespread testing under certain conditions so that schools can continue to operate in-person. 

So-called “soft-closures” are no longer be allowed. Public health departments would assist school districts in conducting “Test to Stay” procedures when schools have reached the following points in cases: 

• 2% positivity if schools have 1,500+ students

-OR-

• 30 positive cases if schools have fewer than 1,500 students

Schools could choose to implement “Test to Stay” prior to meeting the above threshold.

As part of the  “Test to Stay” process, school districts must have a parent’s permission to test students younger than 18. 

In addition, the bill would require schools to offer in-person instruction at least 4 days a week starting March 21, 2021. 

You can read the full bill here.

SB 195 – “Emergency Response Amendments” 

Signed by Governor Cox on 3/24/21

This bill changes the process by which the governor and UDOH can declare emergency situations in the state. The intent is to ensure state and locally elected officials are involved with the decisions around a state of emergency, especially when an extended response might be required.  

Under this bill, UDOH is required to provide at least a 24-hour notice to the Legislative Emergency Response Committee before declaring a Public Health Emergency (PHE) or issuing an Order of Constraint (OC). An OC is described as a rule or order that limits public activities. 

Following that process, this bill allows the Legislature, by Joint Resolution, to overturn a PHE Order/Declaration/or OC at any time. This bill also authorizes the Legislature to cancel any emergency declarations made by the governor by the same process. 

This bill also places a 30-day maximum time limit on any PHE or OC starting the day that it is issued. The Legislature may extend any of those orders as well. The UDOH and the governor do have the ability to extend a PHE or State of Emergency on their own when certain “exigent circumstances” arise (exigent circumstances are defined in section 52-2a-203 of the bill). The UDOH must give the state Legislature at least 10 days notice before they intend to extend a PHE. This does not prohibit the UDOH from issuing a subsequent PHE after the original one expires, but it will be subject to the same expiration time frame and legislative override. Also, if the Legislature does override any PHE, one cannot be reissued for the same circumstances. 

This bill also creates a legislative response committee to review emergency declarations and situations that could result in a long-term emergency situation for the state.  

These same rules are applied to local emergency declarations and orders as well, meaning a county can only declare an emergency or put an order in place if they’ve first given at least 24-hour notice to their county elected officials. 

You can read the full bill here.

One year ago today, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. The toll of this disease and the continued loss of life around the world and in our nation is heartbreaking. To so many of you who have felt the pain and loss of a loved one during this pandemic – you have suffered the ultimate loss, and we grieve with you.

After a year of this fight, we are tired, we are lonely, we are impatient. There have been too many missed family gatherings, too many lost milestones and opportunities, too many sacrifices. And still, through it all, there is determination; there are stories of giving and hope, of stamina and perseverance.  We are better together, and together, we will endure.

The vaccination of millions every day gives me hope. Hope that we can beat this pandemic. And hope that we can get back to being with our family, friends, and community. And soon.

Earlier this week, CDC released our first evidence-based guidance for fully vaccinated people. These new recommendations are a first step in our process of returning to everyday activities – safely spending time with family and friends, hugging our grandparents and grandchildren, and celebrating birthdays and holidays.

While we accumulate more evidence to support the safe return to everyday activities, please continue taking precautions in public and when around people who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 disease. Whether you are already vaccinated or not yet vaccinated, wear a well-fitted mask, practice physical distancing, wash your hands often, avoid medium and large gatherings, and avoid travel. We know these measures work to prevent the spread of this virus and help protect each other. 

This pandemic will end. And, our public health work will continue. Through the near-blinding spotlight of this crisis, we now clearly see what we should have addressed before– the long-standing inequities that prevent us from achieving optimal health for all. We see the impact of years of neglect of our public health infrastructure. We see the critical need for data that move faster than disease, to prevent rather than react. To move past this pandemic, we must resolutely face these challenges head on and fully embrace the innovations, the new partnerships, and the resilience of our communities that have emerged from this crisis. It is the only way we can turn tragedy and sorrow into lasting progress and improved health for all.

In one year, we have lost over 520,000 Americans to COVID-19. These are grandparents, parents, and children. They are siblings, friends, and neighbors. They are our loved ones and our community. We join together to grieve these losses and intensify our efforts so they were not in vain. I thank you for your perseverance and for your unity of mission. Together, our strength and hope will guide us to the end of this pandemic.

Utah COVID-19 Response

In Utah, the COVID-19 response began early. By mid-March, Governor Herbert had already created the COVID-19 Community Task Force to monitor the situation. That task force was led by then Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox and included members from the Utah Department of Health, Utah Department of Public Safety, Utah Division of Emergency Management and others. Governor Herbert declared a state of emergency on March 6, 2020.

As part of that initial response, the state launched coronavirus-stage.at.utah.gov. Since March 2020, there have been over 49,000,000 hits to our website, amounting to approximately 9,000,000 unique visitors. The most visited page on the site is our case counts dashboard. The case counts dashboard represents the UDOH’s commitment to be transparent about the COVID-19 situation in Utah. The dashboard has grown over the past year to include demographic information, outbreak information and vaccine information.

Utah COVID-19 Response Storymap

A storymap outlining Utah’s COVID-19 response has been created. You can explore it here.

As the state of Utah continues its COVID-19 vaccination program, the Utah Poison Control Center has partnered with the Utah Department of Health to help the public get advice on any side effects they may experience from a COVID-19 vaccine.

Recently, rumors on social media have circulated that poison centers say that COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe.

At the Utah Poison Control Center, our team of physicians, pharmacists, and nurses trained in toxicology all fully support the ongoing efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccinate all eligible individuals in Utah.

The American College of Medical Toxicology and American Academy of Emergency Medicine, two nationally-recognized physician groups, announced their support for COVID-19 vaccines as safe and effective.

We echo their statement and also strongly recommend vaccination with the currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines.

While the vaccines do cause side effects such as pain, swelling, fatigue, and fever, these symptoms are generally mild and go away within 1-2 days.

Rarely, vaccines may cause severe allergic reactions called anaphylaxis. The number of patients experiencing anaphylaxis from COVID-19 vaccines is similar to other vaccines such as the influenza vaccine (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7008e3.htm).

The Utah Poison Control Center is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by healthcare professionals trained in toxicology and vaccine side effects to answer questions about adverse effects from COVID-19 vaccines.

Additionally, patients may use the CDC V-safe platform (vsafe.cdc.gov) to report side effects to the CDC. We encourage healthcare professionals to use the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS vaers.hss.gov) to report adverse events related to COVID-19 vaccines.

The Utah Poison Control Center can be reached at any time at 1-800-222-1222.

State officials have published a new health guidance document entitled Striving Towards Equity: Utah’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Roadmap. This roadmap is a dynamic, living document that aims to outline a fair and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) hopes it will help providers, local officials and community groups ensure all Utahns have a fair opportunity for vaccination.

This new document uses a data-driven, science-based, and best practices approach to make sure all Utahns have equal access to vaccines; especially our vulnerable populations who may be at higher-risk of severe illness. Early in the pandemic, the UDOH started tracking COVID-19 cases. This data has helped shape the state’s response to this point and has shown that COVID-19 has not impacted all groups the same. This new distribution roadmap continues using case counts data and incorporates social determinants of health data to look at which populations are being the most impacted so that resources can be allocated, or re-allocated to those communities hit the hardest by the pandemic and most likely to experience inequities.

The document was created with the support and input from local health departments, healthcare networks, retail pharmacies and several other community groups. State leaders see this plan as a commitment from those partners to incorporate equity in their vaccine distribution and make sure everyone has a fair opportunity to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

This document is built on four ethical principles identified by the CDC which should help guide the distribution process, especially when vaccines are limited. These principles are: 

• Maximize benefits and minimize harm
• Mitigate inequities
• Promote justice
• Promote transparency

Based on those guiding principles, state officials have identified five specific efforts which work toward a more equitable distribution of vaccine:

1. Identify priority and higher-risk populations
2. Develop messaging that works for all Utahns
3. Reduce barriers at vaccination clinics
4. Create vaccination sites at locations within the community and routes for mobile vaccination units.
5. Make vaccination data available to the public

Many of these efforts are already underway. For example, the UDOH is updating vaccination data daily on our vaccine information page. Additionally, the state has partnered with Nomi Health to bring mobile vaccination clinics to rural and higher-risk populations.

State officials see the COVID-19 Health Equity Plan as a living document that will change as the needs of the state change. They’re looking to work closely with community organizations to constantly refine the state’s response.

Read the full document here. 

View the full new executive order here.

More information on the state’s vaccine distribution plan can be found on our Vaccine Distribution page.