SALT LAKE CITY — The baby formula shortage that has caused a nationwide crisis could be inching closer to ending in Utah.
State health officials said Thursday they are "slightly more optimistic" about formula availability in certain areas.
In a series of tweets, the Utah Department of Health said pre-mixed formulas are continuing to ship to the state, while spotlighting certain locations with supplies.
A photo showed cans of powdered Similac Advance on stores shelves at a Walmart in Ephraim, but warned that inventory is different in each county. Smith's in Cache County has the largest amounts of formula, while Walmart has the most in Salt Lake County.
The department warned that independent stores still have extremely low inventory, and that issue is the "highest priority" for its staff. The lack of specialty formulas also remains a major concern.
"It is still going to be some time before supplies are normal again, but we are hopeful we will get there," the department wrote.
A second planeload of formula arrived in the U.S. on Thursday as part of Operation Fly Formula started by the Biden administration to help alleviate the shortage.
