Montgomery County officials continue to monitor an uptick in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
130 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday compared to 66 patients one month ago, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Manager Sean O’Donnell said during a virtual media briefing Wednesday.
Most increases are in acute bed patients, according to county data. ICU hospitalizations had been stable but have started to increase in the last two days. A winter spike also occurred last year about a month earlier in November, O’Donnell said, and the rise in hospitalizations corresponds to an increase in cases.
COVID-19 immunity is likely waning in some residents because they were vaccinated months ago and are now eligible for a booster shot, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Earl Stoddard said. That factor combined with the winter season and holidays is contributing to an increase in cases and therefore hospitalizations. He noted hospitalization rates are not nearly as high as last year.
“But certainly it’s something we are monitoring very closely when we see an increase in hospitalization rate, that’s the thing that should give us all caution about how we proceed.”
Stoddard discussed newly-released antibody neutralization studies about the Omicron variant.
While data remains early and updating, Stoddard said the findings are “the most encouragement that I have seen that people getting boosted will be important, if not necessary” to maintaining immunity in the county going forward. All adults are eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster shot in Maryland.
