Austin area records six-day streak of pandemic hospitalization records
The Austin area ended the week by once again breaking pandemic hospitalization records that health officials use to gauge the threat of the coronavirus to the community.
Austin Public Health on Friday reported the weekly average of COVID-19 daily hospitalizations, which the agency uses to determine its risk-based guidelines, was a record-breaking 118. New records were set each day this week, far surpassing the previous record of 94 set Jan. 9, 2021, before COVID-19 vaccines were widely available.
Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County health authority, said hospital staffs continue to be overwhelmed with the sudden influx of coronavirus patients, even more so than during the deadly delta variant surge over the summer.
Walkes explained that while delta had more patients needing critical care and ventilators, patients and health care workers under omicron are getting sick at larger and faster rates. As a result, hospitals are being forced to operate with skeleton crews of workers.
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About 30% to 40% of those coming into the hospital for other illnesses, such as heart attacks and diabetes, are also testing positive for COVID-19, according to Walkes.
She said the virus often causes complications with treatments, which slows down recovery time and has patients in hospitals for longer periods.
"We're seeing increases in our hospitalizations, particularly in those who are not protected by vaccine and in those people with medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to having severe disease requiring hospitalizations," Walkes said.
"Because this thing is spreading so fast, staff are getting sick, relief contract staff that the state has sent to help us during this time are also getting sick," she continued. "So, this surge has proved to be much more challenging."
The community transmission rate on Friday, which Austin Public Health also uses as a key indicator, was 1,350. That number, which counts new cases per 100,000 people over seven days, was just 434.6 at the start of the year.
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Austin Public Health uses both the weekly average of new daily hospitalizations and the community transmission rate to determine its risk-based guidelines, which range from the mildest Stage 1 to the most severe Stage 5.
Austin and Travis County entered Stage 5 on Jan. 6, when the hospitalization average hit 82 and the community transmission rate was 1,066.8.
"Our community transmission rate indicates that if you go out into a public space, you are likely to encounter somebody who has COVID-19, the omicron variant, and it's important that you're vaccinated and that you wear a mask to fully protect yourself," Walkes said.
Austin returns to Stage 5 of COVID guidelines. What will change for you?
Under Stage 5, if you're not fully protected with both initial vaccines and a booster shot, you should avoid indoor and outdoor gatherings; avoid all travel; only participate in takeout and curbside dining; and only participate in curbside shopping.
If you're fully vaccinated and boosted, but at high-risk for severe symptoms, you should avoid all indoor and outdoor gatherings; avoid all nonessential travel, wear a mask when dining outdoors, dine indoors with a mask and only at places that require vaccinations and masks; and avoid all shopping apart from curbside.
Walkes told community leaders in a meeting Tuesday that the Austin area could hit the peak of the omicron surge within the next two weeks. However, she said it would likely take several more weeks before hospitals would start to recover.
Austin Public Health on Friday was tracking 579 people in the hospital with COVID-19, a number that was only 74 shy of the pandemic record of 653 patients tallied on Aug. 25 during the delta surge.
Of those hospitalized, 132 people were in Austin-area intensive care units. That number hit a pandemic record of 237 on Aug. 22. The 71 patients on ventilators remained low compared with the pandemic record of 174 set Aug. 29.
"We need to, as a community, stop the spread of this disease," Walkes said. "Wear a mask. Stay home when you're sick. Get vaccinated. Get boosted."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin area records 6-day streak of pandemic hospitalization records
