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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is now "ramping down" its COVID-19 response, just over two years after the pandemic began.
The changes to the state's response come amid decreasing case counts over the past several weeks. On Wednesday, Utah health officials reported 133 new cases and three additional deaths. The rolling, seven-day average for positive tests is 114 per day, according to the Utah Department of Health.
"It's been part of our process as we now have greater access to vaccines and boosters, and that we had a high degree of infection in our community, that many individuals now have higher levels of immunity than they've had in the past, and that allows us to make some of these transitions toward more of a steady state," said Nate Checketts, executive director at the state health department, during a Wednesday news conference.
He said state health leaders recognize the need to remain prepared to "ramp up" again should novel coronavirus cases increase.
The health department plans to discontinue its daily COVID-19 data updates, opting instead to release new numbers once a week on Thursdays. Utah's state-sponsored coronavirus testing sites, including those that offer pre-travel testing, are closing as the responsibility is moving to for-profit businesses. Now, insurance providers or individuals will need to pay for their own tests, and Checketts encourages people to shop around for the best option.
Dr. Leisha Nolen, Utah's state epidemiologist, said the state's coronavirus dashboard website — which many have followed to stay updated on the current situation — will change "to really emphasize things that are more long-term trends, instead of focusing on cases."
The state's transmission metrics will no longer be used as they're "no longer as useful as they were before," and residents are encouraged to instead follow the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines when assessing personal risk, according to Nolen.
Utah will also change the way it looks at deaths related to COVID-19. Utah has a "rigorous" system to determine whether deaths are related to COVID-19, Nolen said, and the state medical examiner has reviewed those to see if deaths were accidentally attributed to the disease.
Health officials will now use death certificates to evaluate deaths. Nolen said out of the 4,711 COVID-19 deaths in the state, just 73 COVID-19 deaths were incorrectly not identified on their death certificates as due to the coronavirus.
"So we know that the system is really accurate," she said.
While additional waves of the disease and variants are likely to hit Utah, the state health department will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with residents "as we see anything that's concerning or that needs to be addressed," the epidemiologist said.
While far fewer people will get tested for the disease moving forward, Nolen said the state will still monitor COVID-19 through wastewater testing, pharmacies, hospitalized cases and deaths.
She encourages anyone who has not received booster shots to do so. Pharmacies in Utah are also partnering with the federal Test to Treat program. Through the program, a person can get tested and then talk to a pharmacy provider about treatments that might be best for them, and then get a prescription for antivirals at the same location.
One of the deaths reported Wednesday occurred before Feb. 28. The latest deaths include:
- A Box Elder County man, between the ages of 45-64, who was hospitalized when he died
- A Weber County man, 65-84, hospitalized
- A Davis County man, older than 85, long-term care facility resident
