The State of Utah is partnering with Orem-based startup, Nomi Health, to aid in vaccination distribution throughout the state.
In an effort to increase the rate of vaccinations in the state, Utah has signed a contract with Nomi Health to further the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccination. Nomi Health, a healthcare company started in Orem, also partnered with the state last year to perform COVID-19 testing, though the testing ended up costing more than the country’s average cost per test.
In a press release on Feb. 4, Governor Spencer Cox said, “I don’t think I can overemphasize how difficult getting 150,000 shots per week into arms is going to be, it really is going to take everyone.”
Cox emphasized that the combined effort of local health partners and Nomi Health will be needed to distribute the vaccine, stating “We’re going to need all of those partners, including Nomi Health… plans are being put in place to use every one of those partners and then seeing what’s left over.”
In cases where local health organizations are at capacity with vaccination distribution, Cox explained that Nomi Health will be there to bridge the gap and assist with vaccinating the public. “We have this contract [where] we can use you or not use you, but how can you help us close that gap to make sure that we don’t have doses sitting on shelves?” said the governor. In this quote he addresses Nomi Health, explaining what their role will be in the distribution of the vaccination.
Through the contract between the State of Utah and Nomi Health, taxpayer funded vaccinations will cost an average of $22.67 per shot, and the cost of running vaccination sites in public spaces could cost up to $125,000 per month.
Joshua Fletcher, a junior in the business management program at UVU shared his view on the situation, “If [Nomi Health] lost the state a bunch of money from testing, how reliable will they be in getting the vaccines to people in a timely fashion? If they are going to lose the state money, [the partnership] might be a bad idea. Utah could use the money lost to invest in a better company,” said Fletcher.
