COVID surge in U.K. could be a warning sign the next wave is coming
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The number of COVID cases and hospitalizations in the United States remain low, but health officials say the number will likely rise again.
The nation is headed into its third winter of the pandemic and over the years a pattern has emerged. COVID-19 activity in Europe has been a predictor of COVID-19 activity in the U.S.
News 8 spoke with Dr. Christopher Doehring, vice president of medical affairs at Franciscan Health, who says rising rates in Europe could be a hint as to what’s coming.
“There’s definitely some signs that we may be on the verge of our own surge coming up in the next couple of months,” he said. “Nothing to the extent of the prior surges that we’ve had as far as the severe illnesses, (and) the high number of deaths.”
Doehring says that with hospital staffing shortages and a higher than normal flu season, this year could complicate things by putting a limit on the number of available hospital beds.
He goes on to say even if the surge is not as bad as the ones we’ve had in the past two years, the winter is still going to be very challenging.