The message begins at about about 4:28 into the video, above.
UTAH, Feb. 25, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday announced that, effective immediately, Utah residents who have specific comorbidities and who are 16 or older can schedule appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Effective immediately, Utahns who are ages 16 and up with certain comorbidities are eligible to be vaccinated,” Cox said at a news conference.
Those who have comorbidities that make them eligible and are age 16 and 17 must find a location that offers the Pfizer vaccine, since it is the only one currently approved for that age range, Cox said. A list of locations offering the Pfizer vaccine soon will be posted in the vaccine category on the state’s coronavirus website, Cox said.
The list of eligible comorbidities is as follows:
- Asplenia including splenectomy or a spleen dysfunction
- Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or higher (this is also called Class III or severe obesity)
- Chronic heart disease (not hypertension) including chronic heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, and severe valve or congenital heart disease
- Chronic liver disease including chronic hepatitis B or C, alcohol-related liver disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, or primary sclerosing cholangitis or hemochromatosis
- Cancer diagnosed within the last 5 years that began in the blood, bone marrow, or cells in the immune system. This type of cancer is called hematologic cancer (such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma).
- Cancer diagnosed within the last 1 year that didn’t begin in the blood or bone marrow. This type of cancer is called non-hematologic cancer (excluding basal and squamous cell cancer diagnoses).
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood, bone marrow, or organ transplant; HIV; long-term use of corticosteroids; or other medicines that weaken the immune system
- Neurologic conditions that impair respiratory function, including cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, epilepsy, motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Parkinson’s disease, progressive cerebellar disease, and quadriplegia or hemiplegia
- Receiving dialysis for severe kidney disease
- Receiving immunosuppression therapy
- Sickle cell disease
- Severe chronic respiratory disease (other than asthma) including severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, fibrosing lung disease, bronchiectasis, or cystic fibrosis
- Solid organ transplant recipient
- Stage 4 or stage 5 chronic kidney disease
- Stroke and dementia (Alzheimer’s, vascular, or frontotemporal)
- Uncontrolled diabetes with an A1c of 9% or higher
To see Cox’s full message and that of state epidemiologist Dr. Angela Dunn, click on the video player at the top of this story.
