The Omikron wave hit the eastern metropolis of New York with full force: The cases are skyrocketing, the New York health authorities are primarily reporting an increase in hospital admissions of children. A four-fold increase in Covid-19 hospital admissions for minors under the age of 18 has been noted since the beginning of the month, the authorities said. About half of the patients are younger than five years.
The Big Apple with its more than 8 million inhabitants was an epicenter of the pandemic in spring 2020, after which the infection rate had stabilized to some extent. Most recently, the incidence was again well above the value of 1,000.
Hundreds of thousands of masks and self-tests are being distributed, and a third of Broadway shows have had to cancel performances in the past few days. The legendary New Year’s Eve party in the world-famous Times Square will take place with 15,000 instead of the usual 58,000 guests – if it is not completely canceled. Only vaccinated people have access there and there is a mask requirement, exams at the universities are taken online. There is tension everywhere, but also a portion of fatalism. Many New Yorkers believe that at some point they will inevitably get infected.
Too few tests available
In New York City, Omikron has long been dominant, the mutation now accounts for 92 percent of all cases. As can also be observed in Austria, the spread is rapid. In the week starting December 4, Omikron’s share of new infections in New York was 2.4 percent. A week later it was already 25 percent. Above all, the rapid increase in infections in children is being watched carefully. New York state health commissioner Mary Bassett is making New Yorkers aware of the rise in hospitalizations in order to raise awareness among paediatricians and guardians.
Fortunately, New York is currently a long way from horror numbers like in spring 2020, when up to 800 people died every day. The seven-day average is currently 19 deaths – but that too is doubling compared to the beginning of the month.
The New York vaccination rate is 72 percent fully immunized.
The relatively high number of immunized patients is the reason that the death toll is low. Mayor Bill de Blasio has therefore not yet imposed a new lockdown. Contact restrictions are currently not an issue anywhere in the United States.
The prominent immunologist and presidential advisor Anthony Fauci therefore called on all unvaccinated people in the USA days ago to get immunized quickly. US President Joe Biden also begged people to finally get the trick.
As a result of the omicron wave, long queues are forming in front of the test centers in New York. If you had to wait around five minutes a few weeks ago, it can now happen that you queue for over an hour. Immunologist Fauci already admitted on Sunday that there was a “test problem” that the appropriate kits were not available for everyone. The problem, it said, should be resolved soon. But the nerves are bare in places. In Brooklyn there was a scuffle over the distribution of free tests and the police had to intervene.
Biden mobilizes the army
Those New Yorkers who wanted to travel by plane on vacation were massively affected by failures at Christmas. Worldwide, 6,000 flights did not take place over the holidays, almost 1,000 of them with destination or start in the USA.
According to the airlines, the reason for this is once again the omicron wave, which causes a high number of illnesses among pilots and flight attendants. “This week’s nationwide surge in Omicron cases has had a direct impact on our crews and the people who run our operations,” said United.
In the fight against omicons, US President Joe Biden focuses primarily on hospitals. Around 1,000 military personnel are being mobilized to help out in the overburdened hospitals. Including army doctors, nurses, paramedics and other medical military personnel.
From January, half a billion free corona self-tests are to be sent to people in the country; they can be requested online. However, millions of people do not want to be vaccinated. Vaccine skepticism or even the rejection of vaccinations is particularly widespread among Trump supporters and conservative Republicans.(schmoe)
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