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Now live: @DrAngelaCDunn reports 3,919 new cases. (!!)
7-day avg is 2,738 and 7-day positivity is 23.2%.
Referral ICUs are at 87.5%
“We do need to give these measures time to see an impact on our case counts.” #utpol
7-day avg is 2,738 and 7-day positivity is 23.2%.
Referral ICUs are at 87.5%
“We do need to give these measures time to see an impact on our case counts.” #utpol
Dunn: “Our only hope for slowing the spread of covid and protecting our hospitals is if each one of us is wearing masks way more than we’re doing now.”
Some hope: Tested all 1,260 high school playoff players and coaches, trainers. Identified 49 positive cases. 3.6%. #utpol
Some hope: Tested all 1,260 high school playoff players and coaches, trainers. Identified 49 positive cases. 3.6%. #utpol
These players are taking precautions to protect something they care about and precautions work.
“We all need to start acting like high school athletes. They have something they care about and they’re protecting their ability to keep playing.” #utpol
“We all need to start acting like high school athletes. They have something they care about and they’re protecting their ability to keep playing.” #utpol
Dunn: Find that thing you care about & protect it.
Herbert: Increasing positivity should cause us all concern. “It should cause us all to take stock of what we’re doing individually to slow this spread down.”
Have 468 people in hospitals. “We’re at the breaking point.” #utpol
Herbert: Increasing positivity should cause us all concern. “It should cause us all to take stock of what we’re doing individually to slow this spread down.”
Have 468 people in hospitals. “We’re at the breaking point.” #utpol
Herbert: The rate we’ve gone from 3,000 to 4,000 cases is a pace that is really stunning. Doubling rate is accelerating, not declining. We should all be concerned about that.
4.5-5% will end up in the hospital. “That’s just the math.” #utpol
4.5-5% will end up in the hospital. “That’s just the math.” #utpol
Herbert: People claim we game the numbers, you can’t game hospitalizations.
Utah Hospital Assoc President Greg Bell joining remotely (from his car): We have long felt mask mandate was “foundation of any public health address of the problem.” #utpol
Utah Hospital Assoc President Greg Bell joining remotely (from his car): We have long felt mask mandate was “foundation of any public health address of the problem.” #utpol
Bell: “The gun is pointed at the hospitals and particularly the ICU capacity.”
Enacted contingency care. “We have expanded every possible resource. We’ve enlisted every nurse doctor and technician” who can treat this. We are load-leveling. #utpol
Enacted contingency care. “We have expanded every possible resource. We’ve enlisted every nurse doctor and technician” who can treat this. We are load-leveling. #utpol
(By the way, in addition to the earlier case numbers, we had nine new deaths). #utpol
Bell: Hospitals usually operate at 85% capacity. Some of the referral center hospitals are at 100%. Still treating all customers. But if we keep admitting 90-100 patients per day we can’t do it. (We have had 657 patients admitted in the past week). #utpol
Herbert: “We do need to stop this alarming trend … that’s why we have a public health order today in place.”
He’s recapping the requirements of the health orders. Masks, distance, no social gatherings, suspend extracurriculars, ramp up testing. (You know this stuff). #utpol
He’s recapping the requirements of the health orders. Masks, distance, no social gatherings, suspend extracurriculars, ramp up testing. (You know this stuff). #utpol
Herbert: By next week or so hope to be able to test up to 250,000 per week.
Appreciate the efforts of colleges and universities. “Be patient … It’s going to take a couple weeks to see if what we put in place has any kind of effect.”
#utpol
Appreciate the efforts of colleges and universities. “Be patient … It’s going to take a couple weeks to see if what we put in place has any kind of effect.”
#utpol
Herbert: I believe if we all do our part we can get on top of this.
“Eventually I do believe we’ll get on top of this, we’ll slow the spread and the positivity rates will drop. But it will only happen if we change behavior” whether its a govt mandate or choice. #utpol
“Eventually I do believe we’ll get on top of this, we’ll slow the spread and the positivity rates will drop. But it will only happen if we change behavior” whether its a govt mandate or choice. #utpol
Herbert: It’s going to take some time. We got through Spanish Flu. I’d like to see it done quicker. If we have patience and fortitude we can get to a vaccine.
In next 4-5 weeks we’ll have a vaccine we can give to health care providers and vulnerable populations. #utpol
In next 4-5 weeks we’ll have a vaccine we can give to health care providers and vulnerable populations. #utpol
Herbert: “There is in fact darling out there.”
Q about limiting Thanksgiving gatherings.
Herbert says they’re working with CDC and health experts on recommendations, advice on limiting risk. #utpol
Q about limiting Thanksgiving gatherings.
Herbert says they’re working with CDC and health experts on recommendations, advice on limiting risk. #utpol
Herbert says local districts have authority on schools. They know the issue. We’ll work with those boards to provide them data.
Q by Winslow on if Nov. 23 is long enough.
Herbert: Two weeks didn’t come out of the sky. That’s incubation period. #utpol
Q by Winslow on if Nov. 23 is long enough.
Herbert: Two weeks didn’t come out of the sky. That’s incubation period. #utpol
Herbert: “We’ll have to wait and see.” I’m hopeful people are modifying their behavior. Is it enough? We’ll have to wait and see and can make modifications as necessary. I hope we can go back to normal and not have government restrictions placed on us. #utpol
Q about jurisdictions saying they won’t enforce requirements.
Herbert: "It certainly lessens the impact. Law enforcement is there to enforce the laws.” Not enforcing it doesn’t help. They should honor, obey and sustain the law. #utpol
Herbert: "It certainly lessens the impact. Law enforcement is there to enforce the laws.” Not enforcing it doesn’t help. They should honor, obey and sustain the law. #utpol
Herbert: One of the comments the Iron Co Sheriff said is we have plenty of space in our hospital in Cedar City. What we’re finding is we have hospital beds out there, but not hospital beds are the same. People from Cedar City are transferred when they have acute needs. #utpol
Herbert: This misinformation is not helpful.
I’m a big local control guy. We still think that’s the best way to do it. We don’t need this to be adversarial. Need to protect health and have a healthy economy.
#utpol
I’m a big local control guy. We still think that’s the best way to do it. We don’t need this to be adversarial. Need to protect health and have a healthy economy.
#utpol
Q from Mullahy: Dr. Birx said bars should be closed and people should not gather with extended family members. Do you agree?
Herbert: We respect the recommendations. I believe Utah should do what’s best for Utah. Not a one size fits all situation. #utpol
Herbert: We respect the recommendations. I believe Utah should do what’s best for Utah. Not a one size fits all situation. #utpol
Herbert: We don’t want to follow S Dakota’s model or we’d have 2300 deaths. NY has a higher mortality rate. We’ll find what’s right for Utah. No evidence businesses have led to spread and that applies to gyms and bars. (This is factually incorrect.) #utpol
Herbert: We do find the consumption of alcohol later in the night leads people to be more socially close. So we’ve put restrictions on that. Wanted to make it a level playing field.
Restricting gatherings on Thanksgiving “is so contrary to the culture of Utah.” #utpol
Restricting gatherings on Thanksgiving “is so contrary to the culture of Utah.” #utpol
Q. Should we be treating high schools differently than elementariness?
Dunn: Testing high school athletes shows students can prevent spread in their social circles. We know risk is lower in elementary and middle school and higher in high school. #utpol
Dunn: Testing high school athletes shows students can prevent spread in their social circles. We know risk is lower in elementary and middle school and higher in high school. #utpol
Hebert: In the elementary schools they’re doing a good job. “It’s really been a pretty safe environment.” High school students are more independent and casual. Some are doing better than others. “We’re trying to make it fair and equal across the board.” #utpol
Q. What is current testing capacity and where should it be to get a surge like this under control?
Dunn: We’re testing about 10k people. At 20% positive spread is outpacing our testing capacity. Trying to get rapid testing out as widely as possible. There is a shortage. #utpol
Dunn: We’re testing about 10k people. At 20% positive spread is outpacing our testing capacity. Trying to get rapid testing out as widely as possible. There is a shortage. #utpol
Dunn: The demand for testing is creating a delay to get an appointment.
Herbert: Rapid testing capability is a game-changer. Appreciate the 100k tests will start coming next week. Reiterates goal is 250k in the next few weeks. #utpol
Herbert: Rapid testing capability is a game-changer. Appreciate the 100k tests will start coming next week. Reiterates goal is 250k in the next few weeks. #utpol
Herbert: We all need to do our part. This is about personal responsibility, not government mandates. We can change this and get back to normal by 2021.
That’s it. #utpol
That’s it. #utpol
If you needed a living demonstration of how weak and slow and misguided our response to this has been, I think today’s news conference captured it perfectly.
You can also read my column about it today. But this was really, really frustrating. #utpol https://www.sltrib.com/news/2020/11/12/robert-gehrke-utahs-slow/
You can also read my column about it today. But this was really, really frustrating. #utpol https://www.sltrib.com/news/2020/11/12/robert-gehrke-utahs-slow/
