COVID risk level raised in parts of Southern Utah; recommendation focuses on ‘high-risk’ individuals

Simulated microscopic view of the viral cell Covid-19 on a yellow background | Photo by Julia Garan/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — For the first time since Utah’s emergency response to COVID-19 ended in April, the Community Risk Level has been raised in parts of Southern Utah and it has been raised to its highest level in Mesquite. 

Stock photo.| Photo by
Michele Ursi/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

Washington, Kane and Garfield counties have moved from low to medium risk level as determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under medium, the CDC recommends that people who are at high risk of having the severe effects of COVID-19 consult with their doctors on whether they should wear masks in public indoor environments.

Those at high risk include those who are either unvaccinated, over 65, have chronic lung disease like asthma, diabetes, cancer or any other disease that hinders the immune system. 

Iron and Beaver counties remain at a low Community Risk Level where no substantial precautions are needed.

Clark County in Nevada, which includes Mesquite and Las Vegas, has been moved to the highest level. The CDC recommends that everyone in a high-level area wear masks when in a public indoor space including at markets, casinos, sporting events and theaters.   

Chart shows recommendations for each COVID-19 Community Level | Chart courtesy of Centers for Disease Control, St. George News | Click to enlarge

The Community Risk Level is one of two main indicators used by the Utah Department of Health to determine its response level to COVID-19 outbreaks, as are the levels of the virus detected in the sewer water of different areas.

And in the last week, there has been a distinct change in the so-called “poop meter” in the Washington County area.

Whereas the samples have shown the presence of the virus that causes COVID-19 either level or dropping in the St. George wells in the last three months, they showed the levels rising in the last week. The levels are measured by the Utah Department of  Environmental Quality. 

Levels in the Cedar City area remain level this week.

Graphic by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality showing the amount of COVID-19 detected in sewage as of June 10, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Utah Department of Environmental Quality , St. George News | Click to enlarge

The sewage virus levels are becoming a more accurate indicator of the spread of the virus now as compared to official infection numbers, as there are fewer free testing sites and more people are taking at-home tests that aren’t counted in the official total.

According to the Utah Department of Health, the seven-day daily average of infections officially counted in Southern Utah has gone from 39.7 per day last week to 47.9 this week.

While COVID still is making people feel sick a big change from a year ago at this time is thanks to both more treatments, more people vaccinated and the virus itself continuing to become less harmful under the omicron variants. And the local numbers show that.

COVID becoming less of a death sentence

Even as the number of those getting the virus that causes COVID-19 is increasing locally, there has yet to be any kind of surge at the local hospitals and no one in Southern Utah has died of COVID-19 in June. 

Officials at St. George Regional Hospital say the number of daily COVID-19 patients at the hospital has been remaining in the single figures. According to the Utah Department of Health, there have been nine hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in Southern Utah in the last week.

As for those who have died locally from COVID-19, the last local death was on May 24 and there were three Southern Utah COVID-19 deaths total in May according to Utah Department of Health statistics – more evidence that like some epidemiologists have previously predicted, surges in COVID-19 are becoming similar to surges in the flu.

This 2020 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows SARS-CoV-2 virus particles that cause COVID-19 | Photo by Hannah A. Bullock, Azaibi Tamin/CDC via Associated Press, St. George News

While the CDC and World Health Organization have yet to downgrade COVID-19 from a pandemic to an endemic like the state of Utah has, there are still signs that the pandemic is in the past. The CDC on Thursday announced it was ending the requirement that international travelers test negative for the coronavirus before coming to the U.S.

There are also signs the vaccines are keeping up with the virus, as Moderna said earlier in the week that its boosters have been augmented to deal specifically with the omicron variant.

What if you test positive? 

According to the CDC and other health authorities, the main symptoms to look for that may indicate a person is infected are trouble breathing, pain in the chest, trouble staying awake, high fever, low blood oxygen and/or change in skin tone. Though a person can also be infected without any symptoms – and with the current variant that is becoming more likely the case.

If a person tests positive, the CDC and Utah Department of Health recommend a person should remain isolated at home wearing a mask for at least five days from the positive test if there are no symptoms or five days and 24 hours after symptoms disappear if there are symptoms, then keep the mask on in all environments for four additional days after that. 

Stock photo.| Photo by
Kateryna Onyshchuk /iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

If a person has close contact with someone positive for COVID-19, it is recommended that they should take a test five days after the contact and wear a mask for the next 10 days after the contact. 

For those who do have symptoms, pills such as Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Merck’s Molnupiravirthat are available under a White House directive are currently free of charge. The treatment can decrease by as much as 95%, according to the Federal Drug Administration, the chance of COVID-19 symptoms developing into a hospitalization or death. A doctor’s prescription is needed, though many telehealth services also offer prescriptions. The local pharmacies that have the treatments available can be found at this link.

COVID-19 information resources

St. George News has made every effort to ensure the information in this story is accurate at the time it was written. However, as the situation and science surrounding the coronavirus continues to evolve, it’s possible that some data has changed.

Check the resources below for up-to-date information and resources.

Getting the COVID-19 vaccine

  • Those who can currently get the first dose of the vaccine: Everyone ages 5 and over. Those 5-18 can only receive the Pfizer vaccine. Use vaccinefinder.org to find clinics that have the Pfizer vaccine.
  • Those who can receive the second dose: Those who received their first injection 28 days or more before the appointment time.
  • Those who can receive a first booster dose: Those who received Pfizer or Moderna at least five months ago. Those who received Johnson & Johnson at least two months ago. Booster shots can be of any form of COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Those who can receive a second booster dose: Those who received Pfizer or Moderna at least four months ago and are 50 or older. Those ages 12 and older who received a primary vaccine and a Johnson & Johnson booster at least four months ago. Booster shots can be of any form of COVID-19 vaccine.
  • The Southwest Utah Public Health Department continues walk-in appointments. Some pharmacies and stores are offering walk-up appointments. Check the links below before going.
  • Must wear a short-sleeve shirt at appointment and should have a personal ID.
  • Vaccines are free of charge.

Washington County:

Where: Southwest Utah Public Health Department St. George office, 620 S. 400 East, St George

For hours and more information: Click here 

Iron County:

Where: Southwest Utah Public Health Department Cedar City office, 260 DL Sargent Dr., Cedar City, 84721.

For hours and more information: Click here 

Kane County:

Where: Southwest Utah Public Health Department Kanab office, 445 N. Main St., Kanab.

For hours and more information: Click here 

Garfield County:

Where: Southwest Utah Public Health Department Panguitch office, 601 Center St., Panguitch.

For hours and more information: Click here 

Beaver County:

Where: Southwest Utah Public Health Department Beaver Office,  75 1175 North, Beaver.

For hours and more information: Click here 

St. George Regional Hospital/Intermountain Healthcare:

Where: 400 East Campus St. George Regional Hospital,  544 S. 400 East, St. George.

Reservations: Click to register

FourPoints Health:

Where: Various locations.

For hours and more information:: Click here

Revere Health:

Where: Revere Health Campus,  2825 E. Mall Drive, St. George.

Reservations: Call (435) 673-6131.

Albertsons:

Where: 745 N Dixie Dr in St. George and 915 Red Cliffs Dr. in Washington City.

Reservations: Click to register

Harmons:

Where: 1189 E. 700 South in St. George and 3520 Pioneer Parkway in Santa Clara.

Reservations: Click to register

Lin’s Marketplace:

Where: 1930 W. Sunset Blvd. and 2928 E. Mall Drive in St. George, 1120 State St. in Hurricane and 150 N Main St. in Cedar City.

Reservations: Click to register

Smith’s Food and Drug:

Where: 20 N. Bluff St. and 565 S. Mall Drive in St. George and 633 S. Main St. in Cedar City.

Reservations: Click to register

Target:

Where: 275 S River Rd. in St. George.

Reservations: Click to register

Walmart:

Where: 2610 Pioneer Rd. in St. George, 625 W. Telegraph St. in Washington City, 180 N. 3400 West in Hurricane and 1330 S. Providence Center Dr. in Cedar City.

Reservations: Click to register

Family pharmacies:

Where: Several locations

Reservations: Use vaccinefinder.org to find a location near you

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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