Omicron Variant Spreading: Covid Risk Level Upgraded to ‘Severe’
January 5, 2022 - San Antonio and Bexar County
Protection from an invisible enemy. “Our community is undergoing a surge of Covid-19 cases due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant, and we all need to continue to take precautions to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Monday. Photo: Karolina Grabowska.
By Jade Esteban Estrada, Staff Writer | San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- On Monday, the Health Department upgraded its Covid-19 risk level to “severe”
- There are 506 patients in local hospitals, 22 of whom are pediatric patients
On Monday, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District upgraded its Covid-19 risk level to “severe.” The risk level was calculated based on increased stress on the local hospital system, the daily case rate, the two-week increase in cases and hospital trends, as well as the positivity rate.
This week, the positivity rate rose to 27.3%. Omicron is expected to account for 90% to 100% of cases in the county. On Monday, Metro Health reported 3,894 new cases of Covid-19 and two deaths were reported.
As of Monday, there are 506 patients in local hospitals, 22 of whom are pediatric patients.
The highly transmissible Omicron variant is spreading in the area and residents are strongly encouraged to wear a well-fitted mask, practice social distancing, get vaccinated, and obtain their booster shots when they are eligible.
“Our community is undergoing a surge of Covid-19 cases due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant, and we all need to continue to take precautions to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Monday. “While the case numbers are surging, the data indicates that vaccines are preventing severe illness. Vaccines remain the best defense against any variant of Covid-19.”
Nirenberg continues to urge residents to get vaccinated, wear a mask, and stay home if one has Covid symptoms.
“We announced last Friday with University Health, the County’s hospital district, that we were going into a critical situation with hospitals,” said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff in a Jan. 3 statement. “We have asked for 400 nurses and will be asking for more. People need to help us avoid filling up our hospitals by taking precautions such as masking up, sanitation, and avoiding gatherings.”
Though authorities have stated that there is sufficient testing capacity in the community, the City has requested expanded capacity at the State’s testing locations. The City has also authorized additional testing sites to be established within the week. The city’s current free testing sites are listed here.
“The Covid-19 risk levels are there to inform our decisions as a community but remember that we have the tools we need to protect ourselves and our loved ones from this virus,” said Metro Health Director Claude A. Jacob. “Getting vaccinated is your best protection from severe infection and potential hospitalization.”
Health authorities recommend using a self-test before joining indoor gatherings with others who are not in one’s household. A positive self-test result means that the tested individual has a coronavirus infection. They should avoid indoor gatherings to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to someone else.
A negative self-test result means that one may not have an infection. Repeating the test with at least 24 hours between tests will increase the confidence that one is not infected. If needed, reaching out to a healthcare provider will help interpreting test results.
“We have been closely monitoring the Covid-19 situation and are working to expand testing and other resources as needed,” said City Manager Erik Walsh in a Jan. 3 statement. “I’d like to thank the community members who have already gotten vaccinated for doing their part to protect themselves and their loved ones.”
For a list of vaccine pop-up clinics and testing locations, visit the City’s coronavirus website or call 311 and select option 8.
Jade Esteban Estrada is a staff writer for the San Antonio Sentinel, where he covers public health and other citywide issues. jade@sasentinel.com | Twitter: @satx_writer