Local health officials say they expect to see an increase in COVID-19 infections in the coming weeks as a more contagious version of the Omicron variant already rising in Europe and Asia makes its way to the United States. However, officials do not expect a major increase like the one that flooded the local health care system last winter. The new version of the coronavirus being monitored by public health officials, called subtype BA.2, is a descendant of omicron but is about 30% more contagious than the original omicron strain. BA.2 is already gaining ground in the United States, with the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that the share caused by BA.2 has increased significantly and accounts for about 35% of new infections in the United States. last week, the Associated Press reported. In the northeast, it was about half of all confirmed infections. However, CDC case numbers probably underestimate the actual numbers, because some people are no longer tested and others do home tests and do not report the results, according to reports. “As the BA.2 sub-variable begins to spread in the United States, it should be expected that local cases will start to rise again,” said Dr. Bartholomew County Health Officer Dr. Brian Niedbalski. “I do not expect to see a wave close to what we saw with Omicron, but (we) must be prepared for the unexpected.” So far, the vaccines appear to be as effective against BA.2 as the original omicron strain, but new infections are possible. In rare cases, research shows that people can get sick even if they already have a micron infection. But the extent to which BA.2 causes more serious illness than the original micron is unclear, Columbus Regional Health officials said. “It seems to be even more contagious than its first (omicron) version,” said CRH spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue, who described the level of concern in the hospital system as “moderate”. “But (medical staff) do not feel very confident about the severity of the disease it causes compared to (micron.) For them, the jury is still out on it and waiting for more information and data that can help them. “to assume that,” he said. The spread of the sub-variable has caused concern among some officials, as it comes at a time when far fewer people are taking pandemic precautions and restrictions are being lifted across the United States, including Bartholomew County. It also comes after an explosion last winter that sent at least 1,252 Bartholomew County residents to emergency hospitals, resulting in 146 hospitalizations, 46 ICU admissions and 40 deaths, state records show. However, COVID-19 hospitalizations have plummeted in Indiana, including CRH, since January. Earlier this week, state health officials reported that COVID-19 hospitalization in Indiana fell to its lowest level since the first weeks of the pandemic two years ago. Locally, four people were treated for COVID-19 at Columbus Regional Hospital on Wednesday, the lowest since July 31st. However, despite the sharp decline in hospitalizations, CRH officials continue to warn people that “we are not out of the forest yet.” When local measurements improve, “we tend to discourage our vigilance,” DeClue said. One of the concerns of local officials is that some people may give up their vaccination or booster vaccination “because things are better now”. “We would warn people on this line of thought,” DeClue said. “. You want to be prepared in advance.” Officials are currently monitoring the situation in Europe where coronavirus cases are rising again, including in the United Kingdom, France and Italy. During the pandemic, public health experts often view the drop in case and flow rates in Europe and elsewhere as a possible preview of what might happen in the United States. However, local officials say it is difficult to gauge how things are going in other parts of the world, such as the United Kingdom in Bartholomew County. In a way, the people of Bartholomew County may be less protected than the United Kingdom. As of Wednesday, 86% of UK residents aged 12 and over were fully vaccinated, compared with 68% of Bartholomew’s residents, according to data from the UK Health Insurance Agency and the CDC. Overall, 67% of those aged 12 and over in the UK have received a boost shot, compared with 50% in Bartholomew County. Although Bartholomew County residents aged 60 and over are responsible for 88% of local COVID-19 deaths, 61% of this age group still have not received the booster vaccine, according to the Indiana Department of Health. And some 2,840 people in this age group have not been vaccinated at all, according to US Census Bureau population estimates. In addition, some underlying health conditions that are known to increase the chances of severe COVID-19 outbreaks, including diabetes and high blood pressure, are more prevalent in the Columbus area than in the United Kingdom. “This is definitely something that people need to keep in mind,” DeClue said, referring to vaccination rates. “. These are just data that we monitor from other countries. Things are changing. The way we live our lives here in America is different, in big cities versus rural ones. “All of this affects the way in which each different community experiences the surge of these increases.” Local health officials are urging the 28,943 Bartholomew County beneficiaries who have not yet been vaccinated to do so. CRH also urges people to continue to take precautions, including coverage, especially indoors. “Just being prepared in advance instead of reacting is what really has the biggest impact on how our community responds to how we keep transmission levels manageable,” DeClue said.
