As the summer season heats up, we are seeing an escalating evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting a significant increase in emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations in the latest weeks. This article dives into the analyses, insights and prevention strategies suggested by CDC and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) to curb the spread of the virus across the nation.
Research by the CDC reveals an 18% jump in ED visits in the week leading to June 29. This increase is accompanied by the widening rates of hospitalizations by 13% in the span of June 9 to 15. The CDC’s reports highlight the western United States as the region bearing the brunt of the surge in COVID-19 cases. The silver lining behind these statistics is the 25% drop in death rates within the recent periods of reporting.
As the COVID-19 situation fluctuates, the CDC and the NFID urge the public to be even more mindful of prevention strategies. Robert H. Hopkins, Jr, MD, the medical director of the NFID, points out the role that large group activities and air travel play in fostering the propagation of the virus, especially in situations where safety precautions are scarcely implemented.
Taking a closer look at the CDC’s COVID-19 tracker, we learn that the dominant strains in the U.S are the KP3 variant (holding 36.9% of the cases), followed by the KP2 variant (making up 24.4% of cases). Together, these two strains, both members of the ‘FLiRT’ family of variants, account for approximately 60% of the total COVID-19 cases in the nation. By early May, hospitals were no longer mandated to report their COVID-19 admissions, capacity and occupancy data through the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Consequently, the data released post this date might not be comprehensive due to the voluntary nature of reporting.
With the vaccines being modified for increased efficiency, the NFID offers guidance about vaccination strategies. Underlining the importance of vaccination, NFID recommends that the at-risk population should get vaccinated with the currently available vaccines. Additionally, as the updated COVID-19 vaccines launch in the fall, everyone above the age of six months should plan to get vaccinated.
Source: https://www.contagionlive.com/view/interpreting-the-covid-19-summer-surge