When the end of the COVID pandemic comes, it could create major disruptions for U.S. health care. Photo: Charlie Ehlert // University of Utah Health

PARK CITY, Utah — The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) reported 4,502 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, along with 26 deaths.

Friday: 2,044 cases
Saturday: 1,310
Sunday: 1,162

School-aged children (ages 5-18) accounted for 1,080 of Monday’s cases. The rolling seven-day average for positive tests in the state is now 1,634.

“In the last 28 days, people who are unvaccinated are at 19 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19, 11.7 times greater risk of being hospitalized due to COVID-19, and 4.8 times greater risk of testing positive for COVID-19 than vaccinated people,” said UDOH.

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“Since February 1, 2021, people who are unvaccinated are at 8.8 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19, 7.2 times greater risk of being hospitalized due to COVID-19, and 3.4 times greater risk of testing positive for COVID-19 than vaccinated people.”

As of Monday, there are currently 558 people hospitalized with Covid in Utah.

“We are not in a good place going into the winter months,” said Dr. Brandon Webb with Intermountain Healthcare at a press conference on Friday. He said admission rates at Primary Children’s Hospital are already at peak volumes for the winter. The hospital recently announced they will be delaying some procedures due to a high influx of patients.

“In most of the Intermountain hospitals, we’ve opened additional ICU beds and are struggling to staff those,” Webb said.

Additionally, a new study from Intermountain Healthcare displayed the side effects Covid is having on Utahns. Of the 4,633 patients surveyed, roughly 40% reported new or ongoing symptoms of depression during the first year of the pandemic.

“These findings are significant. In looking at the first year of the pandemic, we are already seeing the mental health effects on our patients,” said Heidi T. May, cardiovascular epidemiologist at Intermountain Healthcare. “We already know that depression raises a person’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease and other chronic health problems.”