Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced last week his continued support of the COVID-19 vaccine, urging those who haven’t yet received the vaccine to get it. He cited several statistics that show the importance of the vaccine and its effectiveness. He said since March 23, when the vaccines became available to all Utahns 16 or older:
- 98.6% of the 28,233 people with new cases of COVID-19 weren’t vaccinated
- 95.2% of the 1,625 people who needed to be hospitalized because of serious illness from COVID-19 weren’t vaccinated
- 98.2% of the 113 Utahns who died from COVID-19 since March 23 also hadn’t been vaccinated
On the national level, a new analysis by the Associated Press based on CDC data found more than 99% of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. are unvaccinated.
“These new findings confirm what we’ve known for a while now: the vaccines work and help protect people,” says Tamara Sheffield, MD, medical director for community health. “They work remarkably well to not only prevent infection from COVID-19, but they also are very effective at preventing hospitalization and death.”
If you haven’t received a COVID-19 vaccine yet, you still can. Since the COVID-19 vaccine became available to all caregivers in December 2020, 66% of caregivers have been fully immunized and 71% have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Intermountain supports use of COVID-19 vaccines, and though it isn’t mandatory, strongly encourages all caregivers to immunize themselves. “We’re seeing a recent rise in community COVID-19 cases,” says Kristin Dascomb, MD, Infection Prevention medical director. “Those who are vaccinated are protected from the virus at a very high, effective rate. As healthcare workers, we’ve seen firsthand the negative toll this pandemic has taken on the physical, emotional, and mental health of our communities, friends, family members, and each other. By getting vaccinated, you not only protect yourself, but you’re also keeping your fellow caregivers and patients safe.”
To receive a COVID-19 vaccine:
- You can schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at intermountain.com/covidvaccine. Click “Schedule a Vaccine Appointment,” and complete the form to schedule the first dose of your vaccine.
- If you received your first dose at a caregiver vaccine clinic—from December 2020 through March 2021—but still need your second dose, you can schedule your schedule second dose at intermountain.com/covidvaccine.
- You can get immunized during your scheduled work time. Please speak with your leader to make arrangements so you can be vaccinated.
- If you’ve already received your vaccine from an Intermountain community clinic or vendor like Walgreens or the Utah Department of Health, please email your immunization record to EHnursecovidtriageteam@imail.org. This will keep your Employee Health record current.
- If you need a replacement COVID-19 vaccine card, call Employee Health or an Intermountain Pharmacy location most convenient to you (click Locations Offering the COVID-19 Vaccine). Staff will validate your complete vaccination in the Utah Statewide Immunization Information System and provide a replacement.
All available vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson) have been shown to be safe. If you have questions about whether getting immunized is right for you or if you have specific health-related questions, talk with your primary care provider.
If you have further questions, please contact Ask HR at 801-442-7547 or askhr@imail.org, speak with your leader, or visit intermountain.com/covidvaccine.
“We want to thank all caregivers who’ve chosen to be immunized,” says Dr. Dascomb. “Thank you for your continued support in following safety measures and helping stop the spread of COVID-19.”
Watch as some of our caregivers in Nevada explain why they chose to be immunized against COVID-19.