ATLANTA — According to data from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, a record number of people contracted COVID-19 at hospitals in January.
As the omicron variant surged, it also spread inside hospitals and infected patients that did not previously have the virus.
The data shows that each week in Jan. 2022, more than 3,000 patients hospitalized for something other than COVID-19 contracted the virus at some point during their stay.
That’s more than at any other point in the pandemic.
On Jan. 19 alone, a record 4,734 patients were reported as having caught the virus in a hospital.
Many health experts said the rise in cases of the virus contracted in hospitals in January isn’t surprising, and may be a direct reflection of the surge in cases and shortage of at home tests that left so many scrambling.
Still, others point to relaxed hospital precautions as a potential contributor. Neither hospitals nor the CDC currently require staff and visitors to wear n95 masks, which offer more protection than other surgical masks.
As cities nationwide begin to relax requirements overall, to many people’s great relief, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned this week it could be too much too soon.
“We better be careful because it is a bit risky to doing something prematurely," he said.
The good news is we’re on the right track.
Georgia’s infection rate is lower than the national average, although deaths are still higher than in other states.
Overall cases, deaths, and hospitalizations are all trending downward.
11Alive reached out to several local hospital systems to ask about what they're doing to prevent infections from the inside.
A Wellstar Health System spokesperson said the following: At Wellstar Health System, the health and safety of our patients continues to be our highest priority.
Wellstar protocols are based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health authorities and are updated to reflect current recommendations as they evolve. The best protection we currently have against the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and variants is vaccination - including boosters when eligible - which scientific and clinical evidence shows is safe and effective in preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death. In addition, practicing the 3 Ws of masking, distancing, and hand washing are still important to stop the spread of the virus, as well as testing for symptoms or exposure.
Wellstar visitors must also take necessary precautions to stay healthy at all times, including wearing a mask, social distancing, and frequently washing hands. For more information about Wellstar COVID safety precautions, please visit wellstar.org/COVID19. Additional details about Wellstar’s enhanced visitor guidelines can be found at wellstar.org/for-patients/visitor-policy.