Has omicron peaked in Ohio?

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Jan. 10, 2022, marked the highest number of hospitalizations for COVID-19 during this latest surge of the pandemic, according to the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA).

Since then, those numbers have gone down every day.

OHA said it is cautiously optimistic about Ohio peaking for this surge, but adds each region in the state is experiencing different things when it comes to COVID-19.

“It is encouraging to see that the numbers in northeast Ohio are coming down,” said Dr. Madhee Sobhanie, an infectious disease physician with the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

He adds the state hasn’t seen what the northeast is just yet.

“We certainly haven’t felt a decrease in cases in the medical center and I think, as a community, we still need to be vigilant,” Sobhanie said.

Each region in Ohio is experiencing a different part of the surge right now, according to OHA’s John Palmer.

“Particularly with this surge, we’re really just optimistic because so much really depends on a regional level,” Palmer said.

The central region is beginning to stabilize when it comes to cases and northeastern Ohio is seeing a decline.

“But what we’re seeing in Cincinnati, southwest, western area, Dayton, really have seen an increase in hospitalizations,” Palmer said about the data that has been compiled.

Sobhanie said when it comes to this surge and hospital resources, it’s key that people continue to follow mitigation measures. He says mask up, practice social distancing and consider vaccination.

“The omicron variant has displaced the delta variant as the predominant variant in the United States and that’s because it’s more of a fit virus,” Sobhanie said. “The more people that are vaccinated, the less chance the virus has to replicate into that fit virus because it hits a barrier.”

Palmer said one of the signs he’s looking for when it comes to Ohio coming back from this surge is when the Ohio National Guard will be relieved of its duties in hospitals and testing sites.