Current:Home > Contact-usCOVID hospitalizations have risen for 2 months straight as new booster shots expected-InfoLens
COVID hospitalizations have risen for 2 months straight as new booster shots expected
View Date:2024-12-23 14:08:21
COVID hospitalizations have risen nearly 9% in the most recent week, marking the eighth consecutive week of increasing new admissions in a row, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Despite the continued rise, the most recent week was the smallest percentage increase in the past two months, according to the CDC data.
"While we continue to see increases in hospitalization, the rate of increase is showing signs of a slowing. This is welcome, though not surprising, news as we head in[to] the fall," said John Brownstein, Ph.D., chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and an ABC News Medical Contributor.
The increase in hospitalizations comes as the FDA recently approved and authorized updated COVID boosters designed to offer additional protection against current variants.
MORE: Why Florida is seeing the highest proportion of counties with 'moderate' COVID hospitalization rates
An independent advisory panel from the CDC is meeting on Tuesday to provide recommendations on who should be eligible for the new booster. The CDC director is expected to sign off shortly after.
Vaccines are set to be available later this week with increasing supply starting next week, as retailer and pharmacies receive deliveries.
"The availability of boosters in the coming week, alongside broad population immunity, further suggests we are far from COVID of years past," Brownstein said.
Data released from vaccine manufacturers indicate that the updated boosters will hold up well against all the omicron sub variants currently circulating.
"Early data suggests a strong match between these new vaccines and emerging variants, offering encouraging news for those looking to enhance their immunity this fall," Brownstein said.
MORE: What are the latest COVID protocols amid rising cases and hospitalizations?
Nearly 97% of Americans are expected to have some sort of underlying immunity from COVID, according to CDC data. Yet – additional protection may be critical for those most at-risk, including the elderly as well as those who are immune compromised, experts say.
"The latest booster vaccines mark a new phase in the ongoing effort to stay ahead of the ever-changing SARS-CoV-2 virus. The strong added protection is particularly relevant for older individuals and those with underlying chronic conditions," Brownstein said.
The website to find COVID vaccines, known as vaccines.gov, is expected to be updated in the coming days and provide information on where shots will be available near you.
veryGood! (876)
Related
- Black and Latino families displaced from Palm Springs neighborhood reach $27M tentative settlement
- What time is the 'Ring of Fire' eclipse? How to watch Wednesday's annular eclipse
- How Climate Change Intensified Helene and the Appalachian Floods
- Grandparents found hugging one another after fallen tree killed them in their South Carolina home
- Love Is Blind’s Chelsea Blackwell Reacts to Megan Fox’s Baby News
- Maui Fire to release cause report on deadly US wildfire
- 'Congrats on #2': Habit shades In-N-Out with billboard after burger ranking poll
- Former Packers RB Eddie Lacy arrested, charged with 'extreme DUI'
- What is prize money for NBA Cup in-season tournament? Players get boost in 2024
- She lost her job after talking with state auditors. She just won $8.7 million in whistleblower case
Ranking
- When do new episodes of 'Cobra Kai' Season 6 come out? Release date, cast, where to watch
- Sarah Hyland's Former Manager Accuses Her of Denying Him Modern Family Royalties
- Spirit Halloween Claps Back at “Irrelevant” Saturday Night Live Over Sketch
- Lawyer for keffiyeh-wearing, pro-Palestinian protester questions arrest under local face mask ban
- Sister Wives’ Christine Brown Shares Glimpse Into Honeymoon One Year After Marrying David Woolley
- Michigan’s minimum wage to jump 20% under court ruling
- Frolic Into Fall With Lands' End's Huge Sitewide Sale: $7 Tees, $8 Bras, $10 Pants & More — Up to 87% Off
- 15-year-old arrested on murder charge in fatal shooting of Chicago postal worker
Recommendation
-
OneTaste Founder Nicole Daedone Speaks Out on Sex Cult Allegations Against Orgasmic Meditation Company
-
Second fan files lawsuit claiming ownership of Shohei Ohtani’s 50-50 baseball
-
Trump won’t participate in interview for ’60 Minutes’ election special
-
These Are the Biggest Boot Trends You’ll See This Fall 2024
-
The Cowboys, claiming to be 'all in' prior to Dak Prescott's injury, are in a rare spot: Irrelevance
-
Harris and Biden are fanning out across the Southeast as devastation from Helene grows
-
Kylie Jenner Makes Paris Fashion Week Modeling Debut in Rare Return to Runway
-
Maryland governor aims to cut number of vacant properties in Baltimore by 5,000