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U.S. Covid hospitalizations hit new record high, raising risks for patients
- dredmorbius 5y agoHospitalisations and mortality are the most useful trends to be following presently, given both the undercounting / underreporting of infections, and the reduced severity of the omicron variant overall. How many people get infected isn't itself of primary concern. How many require healthcare service, and how much service is required, as well as the impacts on overall healthcare availability for both Covid and other conditions, is a major concern. Covid Omicron itself seems to be spreading largely uncontrolled in every region to which it has been introduced, and will probably have spread worldwide within the next two months. For those wondering whether or not omicron represents the end-game of Covid, my suggestion would be to keep watch for: - Additional outbreaks or variants in regions previously impacted by Omicron. This would indicate that there is not a durable immunity afforded by Omicron infection itself. - The non-emergence of waves that have appeared in the previous two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, the US has experienced a summer wave, generally beginning around 4 July and in southern states, progressing north. - Other outbreaks associated with vacation or holiday periods. Chinese New Year in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan (February 1), the Hajj (during July in 2022), spring break in the US (late March), and similar events elsewhere. The existence of outbreaks would indicate a continued Covid pandemic / endemic. The absence of event-based or seasonal outbreaks would indicate an ending of the global Covid pandemic. Or at least a period of remission. Given that Covid has established itself in non-human animal reservoirs in multiple parts of the world (e.g., amongst deer populations in multiple US states), the likelihood of continued endemic status does seem high.