Coronavirus: Vaccine
The University of Utah is actively monitoring the worldwide spread of the respiratory illness COVID-19. The University’s COVID-19 webpage is being updated regularly, and we encourage you to check it frequently for important updates. University of Utah Health also has a helpful webpage with FAQs, practical tips about how to protect yourself from COVID-19, and more.
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
We strongly encourage you to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccine. Getting the vaccine not only benefits yourself but the health of the greater community. Please continue to visit the Utah Department of Health website for the most up-to-date information about Utah vaccine distribution.
5/3/2021 Update
The COVID-19 vaccine is now available on the University of Utah campus. Residents, staff, and community members are able sign up using the link below.
3/18/2021 Update
On March 24, adults in Utah will be eligible to sign up for a vaccine appointment. Sign up will begin on March 22.
The distribution will be through the county health department and local pharmacy locations. At this time, the university will not be receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to distribute.
We realize that you may be wondering what your options are, particularly if you are not going to be in the Salt Lake City area or in the state of Utah as we near the end of the semester. Please use the table below to assist in your planning.
| I will remain in the Salt Lake City area | I will remain in the state of Utah but will be leaving Salt Lake City | I will be leaving the state of Utah | |
| Moderna OR Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine | Schedule your vaccine among any that are available. Schedule both doses at the location of your choice. | Schedule the first dose of the vaccine at the location of your choice. If you will not be in the local area for your second dose, then schedule the second dose in the community where you will be located. | Schedule both doses of the vaccine so that your second dose is complete prior to your departure from SLC. If you are not able to schedule both doses prior to your departure, review the eligibility and availability in the location where you will be going to determine if you are eligible. If you are not yet eligible, do not schedule your first dose. |
| Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine | Schedule your vaccine among any that are available. If you receive this vaccine, you only need one dose. | Schedule your vaccine among any that are available. If you receive this vaccine, you only need one dose. | If you receive this vaccine, you only need one dose. If there are no doses immediately available, continue to monitor for availability up to your departure time (some private locations will allow you to choose your brand of choice, County locations will not allow you to choose). |
You can go to any county to receive the vaccine. You are currently located in Salt Lake County.
- Salt Lake County Health Department Vaccine webpage.
- There is information available on the Vaccine and Frequently Asked Questions in multiple languages on this site.
- You can search by locations by vaccine brand here: https://vaccinefinder.org and https://getmyshot.utah.gov/.
- Additional information about the vaccine can be found at https://coronavirus.utah.gov/vaccine-distribution/#eligibility.
For answers to frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit our FAQ page below.
3/5/2021 Update
Starting Monday, any individual in Utah who is 50 years or older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition to previously announced medical conditions, the vaccine will also be available to individuals who have:
- a BMI of 30 or higher
- chronic kidney disease
- diabetes (either Type I or Type II).
As a reminder, you no longer have to exclusively get the vaccine at your local health department - you can get the vaccine at a local pharmacy, from a healthcare provider, or even a health department in a different county. You can locate a vaccine provider using the link below.
3/3/21 UPDATE
People 16 years or older with any of the following medical conditions are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Medical conditions include:
- 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
You don’t need to get a doctor’s note to schedule your vaccine.
Please continue to visit the Utah Department of Health website for the most up-to-date information about Utah vaccine distribution.
The University’s COVID-19 webpage is being updated regularly, and we encourage you to check it frequently for important University-wide updates.