COVID-19 Update May 6, 2023
Since we all just got done with our taxes I thought it would be a good time for some good news - an update on COVID-19. Most of us are tired of hearing about COVID-19, however what is going on now is mostly good news. COVID-19 may not be making front page headlines everyday now but there is still lots we are learning and plenty of information to share.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have come back down after a modest fall and winter surge.
Nationally; heading into May, we now have fewer COVID-19 intensive care unit patients than we have had since the pandemic exploded. There are slightly less ICU patients in the hospital now than our previous low point back at the end of April of 2022. The same holds true for the overall number of people hospitalized for COVID-19.
Here in Nebraska our hospitalization numbers are not as low as they were in April of 2022 but we are way down from the darkest periods of the pandemic. Over the past couple weeks we have had around a dozen COVID-19 ICU patients in Nebraska hospitals each day. Starting in early October of 2020 we had over 100 people each day in Nebraska ICU’s - this lasted through January of 2021. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 needing intensive care unit level of treatment peaked over that first Thanksgiving with over 230 Nebraska patients. Overall in Nebraska we peaked at about 1000 people a day in the hospital with COVID-19. On May 1st of this year we dipped down below 100 total COVID-19 patients for the first time since May of 2022. Keeping people out of the hospital with COVID-19 allows us to take better care of everyone else needing hospitalization.
For more information click here.
Vaccine Effectiveness
Good news from a study recently published on how well vaccinations have prevented pediatric hospitalizations.
A peer reviewed study published in March of 2023 looked at the effectiveness of the mRNA vaccines at preventing kids who were infected with the virus from needing hospitalization. This retrospective study analyzed cases of kids ages 4 to 17 years old in Ontario, Canada during a time period of when an Omicron variant was dominant. They found that vaccination with two doses among adolescents and one dose among children is associated with a decreased likelihood of hospitalization, even when the vaccines do not prevent infection. For adolescents there was an 85% reduction of risk and for younger kids a 79% risk reduction. The mRNA vaccines used in Canada are the same that were given in the United States (Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech).
References and additional information:
The Canadian study on vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization:
Vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization among adolescent and pediatric SARS-CoV-2 cases between May 2021 and January 2022 in Ontario, Canada: A retrospective cohort study
COVID-19 Vaccines Available for Kids
Vaccine Effectiveness in Preventing MIS-C
(Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children)
Vaccine Update
Additional vaccine booster authorized for people at high risk for severe COVID-19.
People 65 years and older who have been at least 4 months since their last vaccine dose may now choose to get an additional dose of the updated (bivalent) vaccine.
Individuals 6 years and older who are immunocompromised are also now eligible to get an additional updated (bivalent) vaccination if it has been 2 months since the last vaccination.
For more information see this discussion of the recent changes.
As always if you have questions about the vaccines please make an appointment to talk with your primary care provider or a medical professional knowledgeable about the COVID-19 vaccines.
Russ Coash, PA-C
Commentaires