COLUMBUS – Unfortunately, Ohioans who wonder where “ground zero” of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases is don’t have to look very far.
According to an NBC News report, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says about half of the most recent hospitalizations due to coronavirus infections are in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois and New York.
There were over 4,200 patients being treated in Ohio hospitals for COVID1-9 on Tuesday, the highest number since Jan. 6, according to data from the Ohio Hospital Association.
Scientists are anxiously watching a battle between two variants of the novel coronavirus, which could write the future of the pandemic.
The question: can the new omicron variant surpass its predecessor, the delta?
Some scientists said Monday that early indications suggest omicron could emerge the victor. But others, including the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, say it’s too soon to know whether omicron will spread more efficiently than delta or whether the omicron causes milder or more severe illness. Dr. Anthony Fauci believes the former will prove true.
“It might be – and I underscore ‘might’ – be less severe,” he said.
A virus expert at the Mayo Clinic says the next two weeks will tell how bad omicron will be in the U.S.
There was some encouraging news Wednesday morning, when drugmaker Pfizer announced that early lab tests suggest its booster doses of the vaccine provide important protection against the omicron variant.
Pfizer and its partner BioNTech say they are working to develop an omicon-specific vaccine in case it’s needed.
Meanwhile, the upsurge in cases continues. There have been an average of 6,000 new cases per day for the past three weeks, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
The state says 62% of Ohioans ages 5 and over have gotten at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine and 57% of eligible residents are fully immunized.
To protect against the omicron variant, experts say to do what you would against any other variant.
That means getting vaccinated if you haven’t already, getting a booster if you’re eligible and stepping up other precautions you may have relaxed, like wearing a mask.