GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- the continuing surge of day by day new COVID-19 cases in Kent County is rivaling all-time highs set in November 2020, and the county's properly health legit says it's presenting much more of a challenge to hospitals.
"I think this surge is worse and it's more challenging, as a result of our hospitals are below greater stress now than they have been then," observed Kent County fitness Officer Adam London. "This surge basically comes on a baseline of larger numbers which have been happening for the past couple of months, where remaining yr's surge become extra acute in its time frame."
Staffing shortages at hospitals, London stated, are also adding to the concerns brought about by way of an increasing variety of americans being admitted to hospitals that are already working at "extraordinarily excessive ability."
About 400 individuals are at the moment hospitalized for COVID-19 throughout the county, and about 75% of those people are unvaccinated, London said. greater than ninety% of those hospitalized and in intensive care are unvaccinated.
"again, it strongly points to the effectiveness of the vaccine in significantly decreasing the chance of severe sickness, hospitalization and dying," he pointed out.
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The seven-day average for brand new instances each day is at the moment 645 in Kent County, London referred to. That's greater than double the seven-day normal from the primary week of November, which turned into 318, and it's rivaling the maximum weekly typical considered within the county, which changed into 689 in mid-November 2020.
a typical of three people are death of COVID-19 each day in the county, London mentioned.
Kent County's examine positivity cost is 22.eight%, meaning that just beneath a quarter of tests administered to people suspected of getting COVID-19 are coming back nice.
the bulk of new COVID-19 circumstances are amongst americans who're unvaccinated, London noted.
"we're seeing some of those breakthrough instances, however they're a good deal much less ordinary," he referred to. "by and massive, what's riding this surge at the moment is unvaccinated people getting sick, fitting severely sick, and that's a problem for the hospitals nevertheless it's also a problem for our faculties and places of work."
Heading into the break season, London and his branch are urging americans to get vaccinated, wear a mask in public settings, get verified, reside domestic if feeling unwell and take preventative measures like averting colossal indoor gatherings and staying active and fit. They're also encouraging and reminding people to get the seasonal flu shot.
those measures, London pointed out, will help in the reduction of the strained healthcare system.
"I consider we're at a critical aspect already, because we're seeing surgeries being canceled or rescheduled," he said. "We're listening to hospitals tell us that their capability to deliver world category look after individuals who're combating any kind of clinical emergency is diminished during this moment, and so I believe this is in fact a disaster for anyone in the neighborhood. And so, yes, i might say that we're at a crisis element."
all through all of remaining year, the maximum number of toddlers a long time 5 to eleven clinically determined with COVID-19 in a single week changed into 139, London talked about.
at present, the county is on its fourth consecutive week of more than 200 kids in that age latitude being diagnosed with COVID-19 each and every week, he noted. last week, 501 little ones had been clinically determined with COVID-19.
just about 60% of Kent County's population a long time 5 and older are entirely vaccinated in opposition t COVID-19, in accordance with county facts. About sixteen% of little ones in the county a long time 5 to 11, or just below 10,000 youngsters, have received their first vaccine dose. Vaccinations for that age neighborhood begun in early November.
"That's a superb start, however we basically wish to see as a lot of these youngsters get vaccinated as viable earlier than faculty starts returned up in January," London pointed out. "So there's nevertheless time for americans to get that first dose now, and that keeps them on pace for being completely vaccinated by using January."
All adults 18 and older are eligible to acquire a COVID-19 booster shot at least six months after their 2nd dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. those that got the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine are eligible for a 2nd dose of any accessible vaccine.
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