As the holiday season winds down, the United States grapples with a surge in respiratory illnesses, including a notable rise in COVID-19 cases. Experts say that the latest wave, driven partly by the JN.1 variant, is contributing to a significant uptick in hospital admissions and deaths related to the virus. "I think unfortunately this is looking like it’s going to be a pretty significant wave," Dr. Peter Hotez, from the Baylor College of Medicine, told CBS Austin.
Despite this concerning trend, some health experts cautiously suggest that the current COVID situation may not reach the dire levels experienced in previous years. "We’re not seeing the signs that would make me think that we’re heading into another severe wave," said epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers in an interview with The New York Times. Across the nation, hospitalizations though rising, are doing so at a slower pace, and the death toll remains below those of past surges.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been charting an increase in COVID-19 positivity rates above 7 percent, with flu and other respiratory viruses also showing marked increases in activity. According to Austin Public Health Medical Director Dr. Desmar Walkes, "We are seeing an increase in respiratory viral illness across the country and locally and that’s happening as a result of all the holiday gatherings that we’ve had," CBS Austin reports. Dr. Walkes emphasizes the compounding effect of flu, RSV, and other viruses alongside COVID-19.
However, the threat of COVID-19, particularly the new JN.1 variant, is still present and impactful. Public health expert Katelyn Jetelina noted to The New York Times, "there’s no doubt it’s helping drive, pretty substantially, this winter wave." This latest resurgence comes alongside relaxed social restrictions over the holidays, which health authorities believe have contributed to the "perfect storm" for viral spread.
Data surveillance challenges persist, with the scaling back of national tracking efforts by the CDC since the end of the public health emergency. This has made hospitalizations a more reliable metric for understanding the spread of the virus. According to The New York Times, there were about 29,000 new hospital admissions in the week ending December 23, a sharp increase but still below the figures from the same time in the previous years.
Though the situation remains serious and the public is urged to remain vigilant, particularly by getting the latest COVID-19 booster shots, there's a silver lining in the data. According to Katelyn Jetelina’s observations shared with The New York Times, "We are in this pretty big infection surge right now, but what’s really interesting is how hugely hospitalizations have and continue to decouple from infections." Thus, although the wave is tangible, its impact may be less severe than in the past, offering a glimmer of hope as the nation continues to navigate the pandemic.
