The Utah Department of Health recently provided updates regarding COVID-19 guidance, including a temporary pause in the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This pause was recommended by the department on April 13, 2021, following guidance from the CDC and FDA due to reports of vaccine recipients experiencing blood clots.
During the temporary pause of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the state continued the administration of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
Earlier updates in April 2021 noted that State Public Health Order 2021-10 removed the requirement for individuals to wear face masks, except when attending organized events. This change followed the passage of House Bill No. 294, which eliminated the state's face mask requirement.
Governor Cox previously signed House Bill No. 294, establishing that certain COVID-19 restrictions would automatically terminate once specific thresholds were met regarding case rates, ICU hospitalization rates, and vaccine allocation.
In terms of education, Senate Bill No. 107 required schools to offer in-person instruction at least four days per week starting March 21, 2021. The bill also implemented a Test to Stay program for schools with specific positivity thresholds.
Vaccine eligibility expanded throughout early 2021, moving from healthcare workers and first responders to include individuals aged 65 and older, and eventually all Utah residents aged 16 and older by March 24, 2021.
As of April 15, 2021, the provider of this guidance information noted that they are no longer performing regularly scheduled updates to this specific page.
