It was this time last year we first heard anything about the Delta variant of COVID-19.
Since then, we’ve seen the Omicron variant and its sub-variants (ex: BA4, BA5) which are unrecognizable by our immune system, says President, CEO, and executive dean of Baylor College of Medicine Dr. Paul Klotman.
“There’s a fourfold resistance of this particular strain to antibodies that you would’ve developed against Omicron,” said Klotman.
Leaders from the Texas Medical Center had a briefing on how hospitalizations and cases are currently on the rise among adults.
Texas Children’s Hospital said the same is happening among pediatric patients.
“Hospitalizations in children, those 18 and under, have nearly doubled in the past month and increased several folds since May. Today we are in a place now with more than 40 children currently hospitalized under 18, with COVID-19, some of that secondary, some of that’s primary, but we are at a point now where it’s certainly comparable to prior surges,” said Texas Children’s Hospital pathologist-in-chief Dr. Jim Versalovic.
Doctors admit that at-home tests made it difficult to say exactly how many cases exist. However, Houston is a leader in measuring viral load in the wastewater, which doesn’t lie.
“You can’t really get around it. The testing in the wastewater in Houston indicates sort of the amount of positive viral load in the community,” explained TMC COO Isaac Middleton.
The exact number, 843%, means there is more than eight times the amount of viral load out there today than what was in the wastewater in July 2020.
Doctors are still encouraging you to get the vaccine and get whatever boosters you’re eligible for, even though they see that the antibodies from those wane over time they think the boost you get after every vaccination will only help you.