Pandemic case rates across the U.S. are “higher than ever thought possible,” said Dr. Richard Williams, medical director of the Three Rivers Health District, in his weekly COVID-19 update.
Williams said the omicron variant, now dominant across the nation, is the driving factor, causing many breakthrough infections and reinfections. The bright spot, however, is that the vaccines developed to combat the virus remain effective in preventing serious disease and death, he added.
“The majority of hospitalized people are unvaccinated,” said Williams. “The next largest group is partially vaccinated people and people who have not been boosted.”
It is critically important to protect “our highly stressed hospitals,” said Williams, asking that people who have been vaccinated get the booster dose as soon as they are eligible.
He also urged residents to get their flu shots, since this flu season “is likely to be far more severe than we saw last year.”
Case rates
The new nationwide case rate as of Mo...