Omicron variant prevalent in area
January 12, 2022
Sheila Harris
According to an update from the Barry County Health Department, the week between December 28 and January 4 brought an increase of 104 confirmed new active cases of COVID-19 to Barry County, as well as a significant increase in case numbers in surrounding counties.
A January 12 update reports 246 new active cases, an increase of 137 percent above the amount of last week’s new cases.
The positivity test rate from December 28 through January 4 jumped from 14.36 percent, to a positivity rate of 26.74 percent from January 4 through January 12, with 26 more tests administered during the past week than the week prior.
The death of one additional Barry County resident was reported on January 4: a male in the 61+ age group, who had significant underlying health conditions and lived in a residential care facility.
Area hospitals are reporting a shortage of bed space and staffing due to the effects of the virus.
In emails received by patients of CoxHealth on Tuesday, January 11, Dr. Tim Jones, President of Cox Medical Group, says, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, CoxHealth’s primary care physicians are adjusting their schedules to treat more patients who are acutely ill.
Beginning this week, Jones says, primary care clinics will be calling patients to reschedule some wellness and maintenance management appointments.
“A provider will review and approve any rescheduled appointments to ensure that all patients are receiving timely care,” he said.
According to Jones, wellness and routine appointments currently scheduled in the next 30-45 days could be rescheduled.
“The approach,” he said, “is part of CoxHealth’s multi-tiered plan to reallocate resources as we manage the current COVID-19 surge and will allow our primary care physicians to add appointment times to treat patients who need symptomatic or emergent care.”
According to Jones, CoxHealth’s urgent care facilities are currently operating beyond capacity. In recent weeks, they have served more than 700 patients per day in their urgent care locations, up from 350-400 daily visits at this time last year.
CoxHealth is asking patients who are ill and seeking care to call their primary care physician’s office first, rather than visiting an urgent care. They can also use the Virtual Visits on Demand service to connect with a provider.
In the coming weeks, CoxHealth expects busy hospitals, emergency departments and urgent cares.
“We are asking for patience and understanding as we manage the surge and work to meet the needs of our communities,” Jones said.
CoxHealth President and CEO Steve Edwards said, in a video uploaded January 8, that, based on a formula which uses the current number of positive cases of COVID diagnosed in CoxHealth’s facilities, healthcare providers expect that 220 - 320 patients could be hospitalized with COVID in upcoming weeks.
“One of the big challenges we face,” he said, “is dealing not only with an increasing number of patients, but also with a decreasing number of staff members who are out, or will be out, with COVID.”
Edwards says, based on numbers coming out of hospitals in London, staffing shortages could reach as much as ten percent of personnel.
“The omicron variant is much more contagious than the delta variant, although symptoms are not generally as severe,” Edwards said.
According to Edwards, many factors affect the severity of a patient’s reaction to COVID, including age, immune status, obesity and vaccination status.
“The number one weapon against the virus continues to be the vaccination,” Edwards said. “Ninety-five percent of the patients we see who are diagnosed with COVID have not been vaccinated.”
Edwards said that due to its transmissibility, omicron does affect many vaccinated patients, but that they’re not as likely to become severely ill.
Edwards also recommends bolstering one’s immune system with Vitamins C and D, zinc supplements and getting plenty of sleep.
Edwards says that while many patients who contract COVID are eligible for omicron antibody infusions to ward off severe complications, supplies of the antibodies are limited and are reserved for those with high risk factors for serious illness.
“Plan ahead,” Edwards advised residents. “Stock up on necessities, including an oximeter; plan how to get a test and how to isolate if you do start experiencing symptoms; avoid risky behavior, such as attending large gatherings; step up masking; and be patient with waits to see local healthcare providers.”
Edwards does say that after a person recovers from omicron, there seems to be a 14-fold increase in immunity against another case in the (as of yet undetermined) future, and four times the increase in protection against the delta variant.
Edwards expects the omicron virus to peak over the next four weeks, then for numbers to begin to gradually taper off.
According to an update from the Barry County Health Department, the week between December 28 and January 4 brought an increase of 104 confirmed new active cases of COVID-19 to Barry County, as well as a significant increase in case numbers in surrounding counties.
A January 12 update reports 246 new active cases, an increase of 137 percent above the amount of last week’s new cases.
The positivity test rate from December 28 through January 4 jumped from 14.36 percent, to a positivity rate of 26.74 percent from January 4 through January 12, with 26 more tests administered during the past week than the week prior.
The death of one additional Barry County resident was reported on January 4: a male in the 61+ age group, who had significant underlying health conditions and lived in a residential care facility.
Area hospitals are reporting a shortage of bed space and staffing due to the effects of the virus.
In emails received by patients of CoxHealth on Tuesday, January 11, Dr. Tim Jones, President of Cox Medical Group, says, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, CoxHealth’s primary care physicians are adjusting their schedules to treat more patients who are acutely ill.
Beginning this week, Jones says, primary care clinics will be calling patients to reschedule some wellness and maintenance management appointments.
“A provider will review and approve any rescheduled appointments to ensure that all patients are receiving timely care,” he said.
According to Jones, wellness and routine appointments currently scheduled in the next 30-45 days could be rescheduled.
“The approach,” he said, “is part of CoxHealth’s multi-tiered plan to reallocate resources as we manage the current COVID-19 surge and will allow our primary care physicians to add appointment times to treat patients who need symptomatic or emergent care.”
According to Jones, CoxHealth’s urgent care facilities are currently operating beyond capacity. In recent weeks, they have served more than 700 patients per day in their urgent care locations, up from 350-400 daily visits at this time last year.
CoxHealth is asking patients who are ill and seeking care to call their primary care physician’s office first, rather than visiting an urgent care. They can also use the Virtual Visits on Demand service to connect with a provider.
In the coming weeks, CoxHealth expects busy hospitals, emergency departments and urgent cares.
“We are asking for patience and understanding as we manage the surge and work to meet the needs of our communities,” Jones said.
CoxHealth President and CEO Steve Edwards said, in a video uploaded January 8, that, based on a formula which uses the current number of positive cases of COVID diagnosed in CoxHealth’s facilities, healthcare providers expect that 220 - 320 patients could be hospitalized with COVID in upcoming weeks.
“One of the big challenges we face,” he said, “is dealing not only with an increasing number of patients, but also with a decreasing number of staff members who are out, or will be out, with COVID.”
Edwards says, based on numbers coming out of hospitals in London, staffing shortages could reach as much as ten percent of personnel.
“The omicron variant is much more contagious than the delta variant, although symptoms are not generally as severe,” Edwards said.
According to Edwards, many factors affect the severity of a patient’s reaction to COVID, including age, immune status, obesity and vaccination status.
“The number one weapon against the virus continues to be the vaccination,” Edwards said. “Ninety-five percent of the patients we see who are diagnosed with COVID have not been vaccinated.”
Edwards said that due to its transmissibility, omicron does affect many vaccinated patients, but that they’re not as likely to become severely ill.
Edwards also recommends bolstering one’s immune system with Vitamins C and D, zinc supplements and getting plenty of sleep.
Edwards says that while many patients who contract COVID are eligible for omicron antibody infusions to ward off severe complications, supplies of the antibodies are limited and are reserved for those with high risk factors for serious illness.
“Plan ahead,” Edwards advised residents. “Stock up on necessities, including an oximeter; plan how to get a test and how to isolate if you do start experiencing symptoms; avoid risky behavior, such as attending large gatherings; step up masking; and be patient with waits to see local healthcare providers.”
Edwards does say that after a person recovers from omicron, there seems to be a 14-fold increase in immunity against another case in the (as of yet undetermined) future, and four times the increase in protection against the delta variant.
Edwards expects the omicron virus to peak over the next four weeks, then for numbers to begin to gradually taper off.
