Name: Pandemic shifts: cases up, but hospitalizations leveling off
Uploaded: 2022-01-07T00:00:00+00:00
Duration: 4 min 53 s
Description: "I’m feeling really good about the coming weeks," says a nursing officer at Holy Name, where COVID-19 cases amongst patients and staff both declined this week. Even though New Jersey COVID-19 cases today spiked at more than 33,000, the rate of increase in hospital cases has slowed. That means the pandemic could be shifting to a different, endemic phase, health experts explained.

“I’m feeling really good about the coming weeks,” says a nursing officer at Holy Name — where COVID-19 cases among patients and staff both declined this week. Even though New Jersey COVID-19 cases today spiked at more than 33,000 — another record — the rate of increase in hospital cases has slowed. That means the pandemic could be shifting to a different, endemic phase, health experts explained. The number of people admitted specifically for COVID-19 almost equals the patients hospitalized for other reasons — like chest pains — who then test positive for the virus but have no symptoms. That said, projections for the rest of the month predict up to 9,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations, and NJ’s getting ready. Some hospitals have already postponed elective surgeries, and they’re stretching work shifts to cover for staff callouts. The New Jersey National Guard will deploy to assist at long-term care facilities next week.