Omicron May Have Just Peaked in These 4 States
With the COVID variant Omicron driving record cases (in all states) and record hospitalizations (in many states), all eyes are on when those numbers go down. Encouragingly, in South Africa, where the variant was first identified and tracked, a giant surge in cases fell steeply weeks later. Might that happen here in America? Four states are seeing some encouraging signs—not cause for celebration yet, but the data has experts crossing their fingers that it holds. Read on to see which ones may have reached their peak—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.
New Jersey
"New Jersey had 156 fewer COVID hospitalizations overnight Wednesday than the prior day, down to 5,933 overall — the first time hospitalizations have dipped during the current wave of the pandemic since Dec. 16. The number of patients needing intensive care also dropped slightly, to 907, and there were three fewer needing ventilators," says Northjersey.com.This has some experts thinking it has peaked but others more cautious. "While the downtick, combined with five straight days of declining COVID case numbers, may seem promising, prior waves of the pandemic have seen some fluctuation in numbers at their peak before a general downward trend kicked in. And the last downtick, on Dec. 16, was followed by weeks of steep increases."
Massachusetts
"In Boston, the amount of the Covid virus detected in wastewater, which has been a leading indicator of case trends in the past, has plunged by about 40 percent since its peak just after Jan. 1," reports the New York Times. "We really try not to ever make any predictions about this virus, because it always throws us for a loop," Dr. Shira Doron, an epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, told GBH News. "But at least the wastewater is suggesting a steep decline, and so we hope that means cases will decline steeply as well, and then hospitalizations and deaths will follow."
New York
"The number of new Covid-19 cases in New York City rose more than twentyfold in December. In the past few days, it has flattened," reports the New York Times. "Looks like we may be cresting over that peak," Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York said this week.
Maryland
"The Maryland Department of Health released updated coronavirus numbers Wednesday morning," reports Fox Baltimore. "As of 10:00 a.m., there are 861,349 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maryland, 11,033 new cases have been reported since Tuesday. The statewide positivity rate is now 26.91%, a decrease of 0.7%."
This is No Time to Let Your Guard Down
Every state—including the ones you've just read about—have enough COVID that you must be careful. Take Florida, for example. "The University of Florida computer models have not changed — still predicting a record 90,000 new cases of COVID-19 may be recorded by the end of this week, making this the peak of contagion, and it does seem like everyone is getting sick," reports WPBF. "I'm holding out — my family and I feel like we're running through shark-infested waters," Loxahatchee River District director Bud Howard told the network. Follow the public health fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you live—get vaccinated or boosted ASAP; if you live in an area with low vaccination rates, wear an N95 face mask, don't travel, social distance, avoid large crowds, don't go indoors with people you're not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don't visit any of these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.
