Topline
Covid hospitalizations have started to rise across the U.S. for the first time in weeks, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an ominous sign as officials prepare for a new surge of respiratory infections this winter and the White House struggles to convince fatigued Americans to get free updated booster shots.
Covid hospitalizations are on the rise in the U.S.
Key Facts
An average of 3,277 patients with confirmed cases of Covid-19 were admitted to hospital each day in the week ending October 24, according to data collected by the CDC.
The figure, up 1.1% from the previous seven-day average, marks the first uptick in Covid hospitalizations since July, though it is a long way off January's pandemic peak of more than 21,500 admissions a day.
Some 27,210 patients with Covid are occupying inpatient hospital beds and 2,704 are in ICU beds as of October 26, around 4% of capacity, according to data compiled by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Maine leads as the state with the highest proportion of hospitalized Covid patients, with 11% of hospital beds and 16% of ICU beds taken up by those with the virus, according to HHS data.
Vermont and North Carolina follow, with 9% of inpatient beds in both states occupied by Covid patients, while 12% and 9% of ICU beds are occupied, respectively.
Hospitalizations are also rising quickly in other states, according to data compiled by the New York Times, particularly in Hawaii, where the average number of daily Covid hospitalizations has jumped by two-thirds over the past 14 days, as well as New Mexico (up 63% over the past two weeks), Vermont (42%), Wyoming (37%) and Montana (34%).
What To Watch For
Increasing cases. The number of new Covid infections has been falling in the U.S. since late July. This trend has been slowing in recent weeks though numbers are still dropping and the CDC reported around 261,000 weekly cases on October 19, a long drop from more than 900,000 in July when hospitalizations peaked and significantly further from the pandemic peak of more than 5.5 million in January. The country-wide decline obscures rises in individual states and many have seen significant increases in recent weeks. The average number of new daily cases in Oklahoma and Arizona have doubled over the past two weeks, according to data from the New York Times. Cases in New Mexico jumped 55% over the same span, and cases in Nebraska and Illinois increased by more than a third.
What We Don’t Know
Vaccines and new treatments have helped dramatically improve the odds of surviving a Covid infection and rising cases does not necessarily entail a rise in deaths. The disease still represents a serious health risk and hundreds of people are still dying with the disease every day. Deaths have been relatively static for much of October and sit at more than 2,500 people dead with Covid for the weeks ending October 19 and October 12.
News Peg
The White House and public health officials are struggling to convince Americans to get an updated booster shot as they prepare for a tough surge of respiratory illnesses this winter. Vaccination, both boosters and the initial series, slash the risk of serious illness, hospitalization and death, though uptake in the U.S. has been poor. Fewer than 20 million Americans have received an updated shot, according to CDC data, less than 10% of those eligible and polls indicate many do not plan on doing so. Even including older vaccines, uptake of the vaccines—which are free—has been poor, especially compared to other wealthy nations. A fifth of Americans have still not been vaccinated at all, according to CDC data, and less than half of vaccinated people have gone on to get the first booster shot recommended by experts, let alone a second.
Big Number
1.07 million. That’s how many people have died in the U.S. since the pandemic began, according to CDC data. Researchers from the Yale School of Public Health and the Commonwealth Fund estimate 90,000 deaths could be averted this fall and winter if 80% of eligible Americans get their booster by the end of the year.
Tangent
Experts are concerned respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza (the flu) will surge alongside Covid this winter. The protective measures put in place to guard against Covid over the past few years have also served to protect against these respiratory illnesses and experts warn a “gap” in immunity could help these usually common viruses stage a vicious comeback.
Further Reading
Biden Getting Updated Covid Booster Shot Amid Dismal Public Uptake (Forbes)
Biden officials worry pandemic exhaustion could lead to bad covid winter (Washington Post)
The Great Pandemic Hand-Washing Blooper (Atlantic)
