The federal COVID-19 Public Health Service Act officially expires May 11. With the end of the emergency order, we’ll archive this newsletter, and our social media profiles (@UtahCoronavirus).

Thank you for doing your part to stay safe and healthy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic! We’d also like to thank the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (Utah DHHS) and our colleagues in healthcare for their tireless efforts to keep Utahns informed.

Keep up with health news by subscribing to the Utah DHHS newsletter. Follow @UtahDHHS on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Utah DHHS shares information to help you and your family live safe and healthy lives.

Travel vaccines: Your ticket to safe and fun travel

Are you planning a trip outside of the United States? It’s a good idea to find out the recommended immunizations for the place you’re visiting. 

To find out which vaccines are needed for your destination, go to:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travelers’ Health

You’ll find a wealth of travel information at this site: food and water recommendations, disease outbreak areas, recommended precautions, and much more. It’s a great place to start when planning a trip.

Follow @UtahDHHS or subscribe to their emails for updates about vaccines for travelers.

Taking long COVID one day at a time

One of the downsides of getting COVID is the risk of long-term health effects. Long COVID has a wide range of symptoms and can last for weeks, months, and even years. It can happen to anyone infected with COVID. It’s more common among people who were not vaccinated, are in high-risk groups, or experienced severe illness from COVID.
 
Common symptoms of long COVID (not a complete list):

• Body aches
• Changes in menstrual cycles
• Cough
• Depression or anxiety
• Diarrhea 
• Dizziness when standing
• Fatigue
• Fast or pounding heart (heart palpitations)
• Fever
• Hair loss
• Headache
• Loss or change in taste or smell
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Sleep problems
• Stomach pain
• Rash
• Symptoms that worsen after physical or mental activities (post-exertional malaise)

If you have long COVID symptoms, it’s a good idea to visit a doctor. They can diagnose long COVID or rule out other causes of your symptoms, and they can help develop a treatment plan for you. Under certain circumstances, long COVID may be classified as a disability.

Some clinics in Utah are studying the effects of long COVID. Your doctor may refer you to one of these speciality clinics. Clinic visits and treatment may not be covered by your health insurance. You should ask your insurance company about potential costs before you go.

Support groups are a great resource for people with long COVID. People with chronic conditions like long COVID can experience distress, anxiety, and depression. There are local groups providing peer support with people who share similar experiences. Some meet in person, and some exist on social media.

For more information about long COVID clinics or support groups, visit:
https://coronavirus.utah.gov/covid19-long-haulers/

In the future, you can find news about COVID by following @UtahDHHS or subscribing to their email list.
 
Thanks again for all you’ve done these past few years to keep yourself and others healthy!  
 
Sincerely,
The Utah Department of Health & Human Services
and the Utah COVID-19 Response Team

Aunque las cifras de la gripe siguen siendo bajas en Utah, se está observando un aumento en muchas otras partes del país y se espera que llegue a Utah en las próximas semanas. Los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) ya han informado de dos muertes por gripe pediátrica en la temporada del 2022-23. Y si se produce una oleada de COVID-19, esto daría lugar a una triplicidad, y los hospitales podrían verse desbordados este invierno. La vacunación tanto contra la gripe como contra el COVID puede ayudar a Utah a evitar esta crisis.

Janelle Delgadillo, epidemióloga del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Utah dice: “La gravedad de la gripe en Utah es baja en este momento, pero hemos visto una tendencia creciente en los residentes que buscan tratamiento para la gripe y las enfermedades similares a la gripe. No hay vacuna para el VRS, pero sí para la gripe y el COVID-19. Vacunarse contra la gripe y estar al día con las vacunas contra el COVID-19 es la mejor manera de reducir el riesgo de enfermedad”.

Estar al día con las vacunas no sólo le protege a usted, sino que también puede ayudar a proteger a las personas de su entorno que corren un mayor riesgo de enfermar gravemente de enfermedades respiratorias, como los bebés, los niños pequeños, los adultos mayores, las personas embarazadas y las que padecen enfermedades crónicas.

Ahora es el momento de vacunarse contra la gripe y el COVID-19

Las vacunas contra la gripe disponibles se han actualizado esta temporada para ayudar a proteger contra 4 virus de la gripe diferentes que se espera que circulen en Utah y en el resto de los Estados Unidos. Las vacunas contra la gripe están ampliamente disponibles y muchas veces se proporcionan sin costo alguno para usted. Para encontrar un proveedor de vacunas contra la gripe cerca de usted, busque su código postal en https://www.vacunas.gov/find-vaccines/. Para ver lo que ocurre con la gripe en Utah (en Ingles), visite https://epi.health.utah.gov/influenza-reports/. Las cifras se actualizan semanalmente, generalmente los miércoles.

La nueva vacuna bivalente contra el COVID-19 contiene dos componentes para proporcionar una mejor protección contra el COVID-19 causado por la variante ómicron. Para encontrar una vacuna COVID-19 en Utah, visite https://coronavirus.utah.gov/distribucion-de-vacunas/.

Precauciones para los padres de niños pequeños

Aunque no hay ninguna vacuna disponible para el VRS en este momento, los padres y quienes cuidan a los niños pequeños deben tomar precauciones adicionales, como, por ejemplo:

Evitar el contacto estrecho con personas enfermas.
Cubrirse al toser y estornudar y utilizar mascarillas si es necesario.
Lavarse las manos a menudo con agua y jabón durante al menos 20 segundos.
Limpiar y desinfectar las superficies.
Evitar tocar su cara (y la de los niños) con las manos sin lavar.
Limitar el tiempo que pasan en guarderías u otros entornos potencialmente
contagiosos cuando la actividad del VRS es alta.
Quedarse en casa cuando esté enfermo.

• Evitar el contacto estrecho con personas enfermas.
• Cubrirse al toser y estornudar y utilizar mascarillas si es necesario.
• Lavarse las manos a menudo con agua y jabón durante al menos 20 segundos.
• Limpiar y desinfectar las superficies.
• Evitar tocar su cara (y la de los niños) con las manos sin lavar.
• Limitar el tiempo que pasan en guarderías u otros entornos potencialmente
• contagiosos cuando la actividad del VRS es alta.
• Quedarse en casa cuando esté enfermo.

Llame a su proveedor de atención médica si su hijo tiene problemas para respirar, no está bebiendo suficientes líquidos o los síntomas están empeorando.

While flu numbers are still low in Utah, an increase is being seen in many other parts of the country and is expected to arrive in Utah in coming weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has already reported two pediatric flu deaths in the 2022-23 season. And if an anticipated COVID-19 surge folllows, resulting in a so-called tripledemic, hospitals could be overwhelmed this winter. Vaccination against both flu and COVID-19 can help Utah avert this crisis.

Janelle Delgadillo, an epidemiologist with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) says, “Flu severity in Utah is low right now, but we have seen a growing trend in residents who seek treatment for flu and flu-like illness. There is not vaccine for RSV, but there are vaccines for flu and COVID-19. Getting a flu vaccine and being up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccines are the best way to reduce your risk of illness.”

While some people who get a flu or COVID-19 vaccine may still get sick, vaccination can make their illness less severe. Being up-to-date on your immunizations not only protects you but may also help protect those around you who are at higher risk for becoming seriously ill with respiratory illness such as babies, young children, older adults, people who are pregnant, and those who have chronic health conditions.

Stay up-to-date on immunizations

Available flu vaccines have been updated this season to help protect against 4 different flu viruses expected to circulate in Utah and the rest of the U.S. Flu vaccines are widely available and many times are provided at no cost to you. To find a flu provider near you, search your ZIP code at https://www.vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/, To see what’s happening with flu in Utah, visit https://epi.health.utah.gov/influenza-reports/. Numbers are updated weekly, generally on Wednesday.

The new bivalent COVID-19 vaccine contains 2 components to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant. To find a COVID-19 vaccine in Utah, visit https://coronavirus.utah.gov/vaccine-distribution/.

Protect young children from RSV

While there is no vaccine available for RSV at this time, parents and those who care for young children should take extra precautions, such as:

• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes and use masks if appropriate.
• Wash their hands (and yours) often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces.
• Avoid touching their face (and yours) with unwashed hands.
• Limit the time they spend in childcare centers or other potentially contagious settings when RSV activity is high.
• Stay home when you’re sick.

Call your healthcare provider if your child has trouble breathing, isn’t drinking enough fluids, or symptoms are getting worse.

For the last 2+ years, the COVID-19 hotline has been answered by a dedicated team at the Utah Poison Control Center. On Thursday, October 6, the hotline will switch over to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. The new hotline number will be 385-273-7878. 
 
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) staff will answer calls Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can call this number if you need to talk with a contact tracer, get test results from a DHHS COVID-19 testing location, or with general questions on COVID-19 including where to find testing or vaccinations. 
 
The website https://coronavirus.utah.gov, its webchat feature, and the @UtahCoronavirus social media channels are still up and running with the latest information on COVID-19, safety measures, and available treatments and vaccines. 
 
We can’t thank the team at the Utah Poison Control Center enough for their dedication to helping Utahns find accurate, timely information on COVID-19. Since March 2020, they’ve answered more than 368,000 phone calls!

THANK YOU

“The COVID-19 Information Line team has been a lifesaver, both literally and figuratively. The team has allowed the Utah Department of Health to connect with the Utah community in ways that would be completely impossible without them. They have served as our voice and our hands, reaching out to thousands of Utahns with information and help. There is no doubt they have saved lives by providing people with information and getting them connected to resources across the state. The COVID-19 Information Line team should be extremely proud of the work they have done over these last two years.”
—Dr. Leisha Nolen, MD, PhD, State Epidemiologist
Utah Department of Health and Human Services

Check to see if you’re up-to-date on all immunizations, whether for yourself or your children, as well as health screenings and well-child checks:

Los refuerzos actualizados podrían empezar a enviarse a los estados tan pronto como el viernes; sin embargo, la mayoría de los proveedores empezarán a ver llegar las vacunas la próxima semana. “Los habitantes de Utah podrían acceder a las vacunas poco después del Día del Trabajo. Esperamos disponer de más de 100.000 dosis en Utah dentro de la próxima semana”, dijo Rich Lakin del programa de inmunización del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Utah (DHHS). Los proveedores, como los departamentos de salud locales, las farmacias y los consultorios médicos, comenzarán a ofrecer estos refuerzos en los próximos días o semanas. “Por favor, sea paciente mientras los proveedores comienzan a recibir las dosis de refuerzo actualizadas y actualizan sus sistemas para reflejar el inventario actual”.

Los habitantes de Utah que pueden recibir una dosis de refuerzo bivalente en este momento son:

• Los individuos de 18 años o más son elegibles para el refuerzo actualizado de Moderna si han pasado al menos 2 meses desde que completaron su serie de vacunación primaria o recibieron una dosis de refuerzo.
• Los individuos de 12 años o más son elegibles para el refuerzo actualizado de Pfizer-BioNTech si han pasado al menos 2 meses desde que completaron su serie de vacunación primaria o recibieron una dosis de refuerzo.
• Cualquier persona que tenga una cita para obtener un refuerzo monovalente debe reprogramar su cita para cuando las dosis bivalentes estén disponibles y puedan ser administradas.

Las personas pueden elegir recibir el refuerzo bivalente de Pfizer o de Moderna, independientemente de la vacuna de la serie primaria o de la dosis de refuerzo original que hayan recibido anteriormente. El refuerzo monovalente actual ya no estará disponible para las personas de 12 años o más; la FDA está eliminando la autorización de esos refuerzos para reducir la confusión del personal que administra las vacunas. Sin embargo, los niños de 5 a 11 años pueden seguir recibiendo los refuerzos monovalentes en este momento, y hasta que se autorice y recomiende una vacuna bivalente para este grupo de edad.

“Animamos a todos los habitantes de Utah a estar al día con sus vacunas. A medida que se acerca el otoño, es importante que tengan la mayor protección posible contra las enfermedades prevenibles por vacunación como la gripe y el COVID-19, dijo la Dra. Leisha Nolen, epidemióloga estatal del DHHS. “Los datos del hemisferio sur están mostrando que la temporada de gripe puede golpear con fuerza y eso, junto con el ómicron, podría poner a muchas personas en riesgo de enfermedad grave y hospitalización.”

Una lista de proveedores de vacunas está disponible en la página web del estado sobre el coronavirus o en vacunas.gov.

>> Encuentre un proveedor de vacunas

The updated boosters could begin shipping to states as early as Friday; however, most providers will start to see vaccines arrive next week. “Utahns should be able to access vaccinations soon after Labor Day. We should have more than 100,000 doses in Utah within the next week,” said Rich Lakin with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) immunization program. Providers such as local health departments, pharmacies, and doctor’s offices will begin offering these boosters over the next several days to weeks. “Please be patient as providers begin to receive the updated booster doses and update their systems to reflect current inventory.”

Utahns who are eligible to receive a bivalent booster dose right now include:

• Individuals 18 years of age and older are eligible for the updated Moderna booster if it has been at least 2 months since they completed their primary vaccination series or received a booster dose.
• Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible for the updated Pfizer-BioNTech booster if it has been at least 2 months since they completed their primary vaccination series or received a booster dose.
• Anyone who has an appointment to get a monovalent booster should reschedule for when bivalent doses are in stock and can be administered.

Individuals may choose to receive either the Pfizer or Moderna bivalent booster, regardless of which primary series vaccine or original booster dose they had previously. The current monovalent booster will no longer be available to people 12 and older; the FDA is removing authorization for those boosters to reduce provider confusion for staff administering vaccines. However, children ages 5-11 may still get the monovalent boosters at this time, and until a bivalent vaccine is authorized and recommended for this age group.

“We encourage all Utahns to stay up-to-date on their immunizations. As fall approaches, it’s important that you have as much protection from vaccine-preventable illnesses like flu and COVID-19 as possible,” said Dr. Leisha Nolen, state epidemiologist at DHHS. “Data from the southern hemisphere suggests the flu season may hit us hard this winter at the same time we expect transmission of COVID-19 to increase. The updated COVID-19 vaccine can help protect us all.”

A list of vaccine providers is available on the state’s coronavirus webpage or vaccines.gov.

>> Get your booster

En 2020 y 2021, los niños de Utah no recibieron alrededor de 340.000 inmunizaciones de rutina. Las vacunas omitidas dejan a los niños y las familias vulnerables a infecciones y brotes de enfermedades que son prevenibles. 

Muchos niños también no asistieron a sus visitas de salud infantil durante la pandemia. Si su hijo no ha tenido un chequeo médico en los últimos dos años, es hora de programar una cita con el médico de su hijo. 

Los chequeos de bienestar son más que simples chequeos para bebés o un calendario de cuándo recibir vacunas. Los niños crecen y se desarrollan rápidamente y necesitan aprender a hacer muchas cosas nuevas durante la niñez y la adolescencia. Usted conoce mejor a su hijo, y los médicos lo saben. Los chequeos de bienestar son la forma en que usted y un proveedor de atención médica de su confianza pueden trabajar juntos como un equipo para mantener a su niño o adolescente seguro, saludable y desarrollando las habilidades necesarias en diferentes etapas de su vida. 

Vea qué chequeos y vacunas necesita su hijo según su edad:

Los adultos también necesitan estar al día con las vacunas.

Retrasarse en las vacunas lo pone en riesgo de contraer enfermedades graves que aún son comunes en los Estados Unidos. Enfermarse puede hacer que falte al trabajo o impedir que pueda cuidar de su familia u otras responsabilidades. Las vacunas reducen sus posibilidades de enfermarse, propagar ciertas enfermedades y son una de las formas más seguras de proteger su salud.

Consulte con su médico.

La mayoría de las enfermedades y condiciones de salud crónicas se pueden prevenir o son mucho más fáciles de tratar si se detectan a tiempo. Su cuerpo no siempre le da señales de advertencia, pero su proveedor de atención médica tiene las herramientas para ayudar a identificar problemas y condiciones de salud.   
 
La mayoría de los chequeos y exámenes de salud preventivos están cubiertos por el seguro médico. Haga una cita para hacerse un chequeo y hable con su médico sobre qué exámenes de salud y vacunas necesita para su edad.
 
Vea qué exámenes de salud e inmunizaciones se recomiendan para usted:

Utah children missed nearly 340,000 routine immunizations in 2020 and 2021. Missing immunizations leave children and families vulnerable to infections and outbreaks of preventable diseases. 
 
Many kids also missed their well-child visits during the pandemic. If your child hasn’t had a well check in the last year or two, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your child’s doctor. 
 
Wellness checkups are more than just checkups for babies or a schedule of when to get shots. Kids grow and develop quickly, and need to learn to do many new things during childhood and adolescence. You know your child best—and doctors know that. Wellness checkups are how you and a healthcare provider you trust can work together as a team to keep your child or teen safe, healthy, and developing the skills needed at different times in life. 
 
See what checkups and immunizations your child needs based on their age:

Adults need to stay up-to-date on immunizations, too.

Falling behind on immunizations puts you at risk for serious diseases that are still common in the United States. Getting sick can cause you to miss work or prevent you from being able to care for your family or other responsibilities. Immunizations lower your chances of getting sick, spreading certain diseases, and are one of the safest ways to protect your health.

Check in with your doctor.

Most chronic diseases and health conditions can be prevented, or are much easier to treat if found early. Your body doesn’t always give you warning signs, but your healthcare provider has the tools to help identify health problems and conditions.  
 
Most preventive health checkups and screenings are covered by insurance. Make an appointment to get a checkup and talk to your doctor about which health screenings and immunizations you need for your age.
 
See what health screenings and immunizations are recommended for you:

Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized both the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines for use with all ages (6 months and older) eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations. Previously, only the Pfizer vaccine was available for children younger than 18. 

Vaccines for this youngest age group will begin to arrive in Utah the week of June 20th. The first batch of doses is expected early in the week and another batch of doses is expected later in the week. According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), providers have already ordered 32,300 doses of the vaccines. 

Providers such as local health departments, select pharmacies, and doctor’s offices will begin offering vaccinations to the youngest Utahns over the next several days to weeks. “We encourage parents to reach out to their child’s healthcare provider if they have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines and to find out when they can get their children vaccinated. Please be patient with vaccine providers over the next couple of weeks as they receive vaccines and prepare to administer them to our youngest children,” said Dr. Leisha Nolen, a pediatrician and the state epidemiologist at the DHHS.

A list of vaccine providers is available on the state’s coronavirus webpage. Vaccines will not be available for this youngest age group at all locations right away. Parents can visit vaccines.gov to verify which providers have younger pediatric vaccines available or call their child’s doctor’s office or local health department for information on scheduling a vaccination.  

Vaccine dosage is based on the brand of the vaccine and a person’s age the day they receive the vaccine, not weight. Depending on the type of vaccine given, children younger than 5 may need 2 or 3 doses.

• Pfizer vaccine: Children ages 6 months through 4 years of age will need 3 doses to complete their primary vaccine series. The 2nd dose should be given 21 days after the 1st dose and then a 3rd dose 2 months after the 2nd dose.
• Moderna vaccine: Children ages 6 months through 5 years of age will need 2 doses to complete their primary vaccine series. The 2nd dose should be given at least 28 days after the 1st dose. 

“We strongly encourage healthcare providers to familiarize themselves with the CDC recommendations and begin immunizing these children immediately,” said Nolen. “Doctors, and especially pediatricians, will play a critical role in vaccinating this population. We hope doctors will proactively reach out to their patients with the information they need to make the decision to vaccinate their children.” 

The DHHS is also launching a public awareness campaign with television commercials, digital videos, radio commercials, social media advertising, and outdoor advertising encouraging parents to talk to their child’s doctor about the vaccine. 

“The clinical trials showed these vaccines are safe for young children and can prevent them from getting sick or suffering from long-term impacts of COVID-19,” said Nolen. “Children have not been exempt from this pandemic. The Omicron wave this winter sent a number of our very youngest kids to the hospital; one-quarter of whom ended up in intensive care. Most tragically, COVID-19 has killed more children younger than 5 than flu would during 2 normal flu seasons. I think we can all agree, this is tragic. We need to help keep kids out of the hospital and now we can through vaccination. ”

For more information visit https://coronavirus.utah.gov/vaccine/ or call the COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-456-7707.

We are seeing an increase of COVID-19 across the state right now as well as an increase in the number of people who are being hospitalized. Given trends in other areas of the country, we expect to see sustained increases over the coming weeks. 

This is a good reminder that if you aren’t up-to-date on your COVID-19 vaccinations, including getting a booster dose, now is the time to do so. The vaccines provide protection from COVID-19 and can protect you from serious illness and the inconveniences of missed work and other activities.

Everyone 5 and older is now eligible to receive a booster dose of the COVID vaccine. 

Research from CDC shows that a booster shot dramatically reduces your risk for severe illness from COVID, especially if you’re at high-risk for serious disease. In fact, data shows that the booster dose is actually more effective at reducing risk in vulnerable people than in average, healthy people. 

And, a booster dose could save your life. CDC says “Protection against infection and death during the Delta-predominant period and against infection during the Omicron emergence were higher among booster vaccine dose recipients…” 

If you’re 50 or older or are at risk for severe illness from COVID, get a 2nd booster at the appropriate time. Talk to your doctor if you have questions or need help deciding when it’s best to get a 2nd booster dose.

(Source: CDC)