State well being officers mentioned instances and hospitalizations are exhibiting a gentle decline once more after a post-holiday bump, however hospital capability stays a priority.
DENVER — Colorado well being leaders held a information convention on Thursday afternoon to provide an replace on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Rachel Herlihy, Colorado Division of Public Well being and Surroundings (CDPHE) state epidemiologist, mentioned instances within the state are steadily declining once more after a slight enhance following the Thanksgiving vacation.
Herlihy mentioned the decline is in distinction to nationwide developments in case numbers, that are exhibiting a rise in COVID-19 transmission.
As well as, the seven-day transferring positivity pattern confirmed the identical vacation bump in between two regular declines. Nevertheless, Herlihy mentioned that the present fee of seven.64% remains to be greater than the 5% benchmark, which might be an indication the state is processing sufficient COVID-19 assessments to have a full image of transmission.
Relating to the newly found omicron variant, Herlihy mentioned experiences out of southern Africa point out it’s spreading quicker than the delta variant, and that reinfection seems to be extra frequent in comparison with the delta and beta variants.
As well as, whereas there are indications vaccines will not be as efficient when combating omicron, Pfizer is reporting that individuals who have obtained a 3rd booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine are exhibiting protecting antibody ranges.
Herlihy mentioned that extra information is required to find out omicron’s severity in comparison with different variants, and whether or not its obvious elevated unfold is because of greater transmissibility or as a result of it prompts a weaker response from the immune system.
> Video under: 9Hleath Professional Dr. Payal Kohli discusses the approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine booster photographs for 16- and 17-year-olds.
COVID-19 Incident Commander Scott Bookman mentioned that hospitalizations have declined from the latest peak earlier in December, however stay very excessive with 1,356 COVID patents nonetheless occupying hospital beds. Bookman mentioned that leaves about 518 beds accessible as of Thursday.
“I do need to stress we nonetheless have lots of people within the hospital with COVID,” Bookman mentioned. “Our healthcare staff, our EMS suppliers, our first responders on the entrance line are nonetheless working across the clock, nights, weekends, and holidays, to deal with lots of people with COVID.”
Bookman mentioned that 115,557 youngsters between the ages of 5 and 11 have obtained the primary dose of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine, which is about 24.1% of eligible youngsters within the state. That is almost 7% greater than the nationwide fee being reported by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
Bookman additionally mentioned that greater than 1.1 million Coloradans have obtained a booster dose, which is about 42.9% of the eligible inhabitants.
RELATED: Omicron detected in Boulder County wastewater, exhibiting low group transmission
On Tuesday, Herlihy mentioned that CDPHE’s wastewater surveillance system had picked up the omicron variant in Boulder County. She mentioned that factors to low group transmission of the variant, although CDPHE did not but know what number of instances there is likely to be in the neighborhood. Thus far, Colorado has confirmed two omicron instances, in accordance with Herlihy.
CDPHE plans to check specimens from PCR testing in Boulder County to get a clearer image of transmission, she mentioned. The variant appears to be extra transmissible however causes much less extreme signs, in accordance with early research, Herlihy mentioned.
Colorado detected its first instances of the omicron variant final week, in sufferers from Arapahoe and Boulder counties. The delta variant continues to account for all different instances within the state, because it has since August.
> Watch Thursday’s full press convention
Herlihy additionally confirmed information gathered by CDPHE that confirmed those that get a booster dose are 2.4 occasions much less more likely to contract COVID-19 than those that have not.
About 41% of Coloradans who’re eligible for a booster of a COVID-19 vaccine have gotten that third dose. As extra folks get the booster, the information are anticipated to indicate a bigger impression, Herlihy mentioned.
On Thursday, the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized booster Pfizer photographs for 16- and 17-year-olds.
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