The Omicron variant propelled the worst rates of hospital transmission during the pandemic, despite the widespread availability of vaccines and N-95 masks
More than 3,000 hospitalized patients each week in January had caught Covid sometime during their stay, more than any point of the pandemic, according to U.S. government data analyzed by POLITICO.
. Thirty-eight out of the 40 worst days recorded occurred in 2022, according to POLITICO’s analysis, which calculated data through Feb. 14.During the January Covid-19 surge a year ago, hospitals reported around 2,000 patients each week on average had contracted Covid during their stay, compared to roughly 3,000 this year.
Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, said he’s concerned by the rise in infections. “Using standard infection control, that shouldn’t happen where there is transmission occurring, whether it be between patient to patient, visitors to patient or workers to patients,” he said.
One potential factor, several public health experts said, is the CDC’s decision in December to allow health workers who had tested positive for Covid to return without first isolating or testing to ensure they were no longer infectious. However, several public health experts also said that decision likely had minimal impact because workers wear masks and ideally higher grade N-95s.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Covid-19: Four more Covid-related deaths and 433 in hospitalThe total number of deaths linked to the virus reported by Stormont's Department of Health is 3,170.
Read more »
Japan plans targeted COVID curbs as new cases fall but deaths hit recordTOKYO (Reuters) -A Japanese health panel approved on Friday a plan to bring in more targeted COVID-19 curbs across much of the nation, as overall new infections decline but fatalities rise to a record level. 'The priority going forward is to try to hold down serious cases and deaths among the elderly,' Shigeru Omi, Japan's top health advisor, told reporters after the panel's meeting. Kyoto University professor Hiroshi Nishiura estimated that the Omicron wave would claim 4,339 lives between January and April 20, with more than 70% of the victims in their 80s or older.
Read more »
Covid: PM returns lockdown party survey to police, and New Zealand reports record case numbersFive things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Saturday morning.
Read more »
Facebook Misled Investors About Battling Climate, Covid Lies: SEC Filings'Frances Haugen's SEC filing shows yet again that Facebook cannot be trusted and needs Congress to step in to stop the spread of disinformation,' said Friends of the Earth's Michael Khoo.
Read more »
What to Expect From the COVID Variants to ComeThe evolution of the coronavirus remains difficult to predict, and future strains could be at least as dangerous as Omicron and its predecessors.
Read more »