Summer COVID spike less deadly; vaccines still emphasized

Max Bryan, The Norman Transcript, Okla.
·2 min read
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Jul. 19—Statewide and local COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have risen over the past several weeks, but local health officials say the current wave of infections isn't as detrimental as previous spikes.

As of Thursday, Cleveland County averaged 39 new cases per 100,000 each day. It recorded 771 new cases that previous week, according to University of Oklahoma Health records.

Its seven-day rolling average for cases is around 100. Norman's rolling average is at 48, OU Health records show.

These numbers reflect the effect of the virus' new variant, BA.5. Dr. Dale Bratzler, OU's chief COVID officer, said this variant is possibly approaching a contagiousness level similar to the measles.

At 303 new cases in the week leading up to Thursday, Oklahoma was 10th highest in the United States for new cases per 100,000, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention records, and those are just tests done outside the home.

"I'm pretty convinced now, we're probably seeing every bit as many — if not more — cases per day than we did during the Delta outbreak last summer. It's just that last summer, there were no home tests," Bratzler said.

Brittni McGill, Norman Regional Health System chief nursing officer, said the numbers are likely high due to summer travel and community events.

But while COVID cases are likely much higher than the numbers indicate, far fewer people are hospitalized from the virus.

Bratzler said 323 people were hospitalized with COVID in the state in the past week — about a fourfold increase since the end of April, but far fewer than about 1,600 last July.

Cleveland County, as of Thursday, had medium COVID transmission, according to the CDC.

Bratzler said more people are vaccinated than there were this time last year, and previous COVID infections offer some immunity that makes new infections less severe. More than 58% of people in Cleveland County were fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, according to CDC and local records.

He also said treatments, like paxlovid, now help keep the virus from making people seriously ill.

"We've consistently been in the single digits [for hospitalizations] for the last several weeks," McGill said.

But while BA.5 is not as severe as past variants, Bratzler and McGill both underscored how contagious the variant is.

Bratzler said the chance of getting infected while talking to someone who has the virus "is really high."

To avoid this, Bratzler said to wear a mask when in crowded areas, but it's more important to stay up to date with COVID vaccinations.

"There's increasing data now that being vaccinated, particularly with the booster dose, increases your chances of even getting COVID-19. But if you do test positive, you're not nearly as likely to get sick," he said.