https://www.sltrib.com/news/2022/01/26/feds-say-utah-has-worst/

"Utah has broken its own records this month.

Utah reported more new coronavirus cases per capita than any other state or U.S. territory in the past week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday.

The state averaged 3,045 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past week, the CDC reported — more than double the national average of 1,460."

With a 60.5% vaccination rate, Utah ranks below average for the US (63%) and well below the goal rate of 80% required to achieve theoretical herd immunity.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine-tracker

I'm just using my version of 'common sense'...

If it is true that a vaccinated person can 'carry' the virus without suffering any effects, it makes sense that 'isolation' is more important than vaccination, if you're unvaccinated.

Are there more masked people out and about in Utah than unmasked?

If it is the reverse, more unmasked than masked, then I don't see much of a mystery in this finding.

Definitely more unmasked than masked. I went to a couple of Utah businesses today (El Gato needed supplies) and other than some clerks very few masks.

Meanwhile Utah today had the highest number yet hospitalized for the virus and eighteen more deaths.

The SL Tribune Editorial Board said it best - Utah leaders have surrendered to Covid.

I'm at the gym today and no one has a mask, it's just culturally out of taste here. Utah is done with it, At macys this morning maybe 20% masks. The culprits if you ask me are the high school kids I see congregating driving in the same cars, etc. 6-10 all the same age, they can't all be in the same families, yet they keep going to school meeting with their friends, everyday.

On the news this morning ksl was talking about 7 year Olds getting suspended for refusing to mask up, this was in Fairfax Virginia. Some of my co workers have got their kids on mask exemptions, citing that they can't talk with a mask and it affect self esteem.

Utah’s illustrious, intelligent (strong sarcasm) legislators just did away the the Salt Lake City mayor’s mask mandate and it can’t be challenged or brought back.

A talk radio host in the past referred to them as “ the clowns on the hill”.

it feels like Hubby and I are the last ones in Utah to keep wearing masks, but I don’t care; I would rather be safe than sorry because even though we’re vaccinated, we both have underlying health issues that would make it a very dangerous time of it if we were to get COVID.

valkyriequeen Wrote:
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> it feels like Hubby and I are the last ones in
> Utah to keep wearing masks

Way to go you guys.

I heard a journalist say here say the other day "it's been a very long time" since he went to any place around and about where any noticeable number of people were without masks. It's just not a big deal here for most of us. We're so used to it for one but also we feel that it is an effective measure in leveling out and keeping down the numbers of cases. It's certainly helped me, I believe, as I am in one of the locations that has been a hot spot* (high numbers) since the beginning of this thing and so far, so good, no virus germs for me. I definitely relate to the strong desire to observe the measures and avoid the illness.

*population density + social factors

valkyriequeen Wrote:
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> it feels like Hubby and I are the last ones in
> Utah to keep wearing masks,

Crazy. I’m in WA, where we had the first case in the US 2yrs ago. From what I’ve seen nearly everybody wears a mask inside in public places, with few exceptions.
Fortunately our cases are the 5th lowest, per capita and 70% are fully vaccinated. 78% have one vaccine.

If Worldometer is to be believed, Utah has the fourth highest cases per capita and ranks 49th in deaths per capita.

Rhode Island has the highest per capita cases of COVID

Not sure, actually, who is the most reliable COVID statistics, but I’ll run with this…

Utah gets the benefit of having the lowest average age in the US, thanks to Mo birthrates, This gives them fewer covid fatalities.

CDC is the gold standard for disease stats, but they won't have final numbers for a couple of years. They are obsessively thorough. Worldometer is quick and dirty, but it gives you a pretty good approximation for back-of-the-envelope calculations.

When the going gets tough...

Physical hygiene starts with mental hygiene.

Usually the Cat overhypes stuff, the better to provide click-bait. This is one of the rare examples of underhyping, or at least omitting relevant information.

About half the article is about how there needs to be a big asterisk on claims that Utah has the worst covid rate in the nation. It is an artifact of the fact that different states had different reporting protocols over the MLK holiday weekend which resulted in Utah floating to the top. Utah is definitely high on the totem pole, but which state has the worst case count is not that clear cut.

Utah does have a sky high test positivity rate, which means they are almost certainly substantially undercounting actual cases.