The end of the federal COVID Public Health Emergency came well over a month ago. But, coronavirus is still a disease to reckon with this summer and beyond. Just last week, plans for a fall COVID vaccine were announced. Kim Blanton is chief nursing officer at University of Kentucky Hospital. She said there are still questions about whether COVID will have a seasonal pattern.
“This season that we’re getting ready to come up into with fall and the respiratory season will be very telling as we kind of settle where we are with COVID,” said Blanton.
The end of last week saw 16 COVID patients at UK HealthCare and none in ICU. The peak hospitalizations at UK, at 200, was in January 2022. The peak intensive care surge was in September of 2021 with the Delta variant.
Although hospitalizations fell significantly, particularly after vaccinations became available, hospital care is still required for some. Blanton said some patients have COVID along with other health issues.
“Some of them are here directly for COVID symptoms that have caused such shortness of breath that they need or dehydration and different symptoms that they need to be cared for,” said Blanton.
A CDC panel is expected to consider a recommendation soon for a new vaccine to be offered this fall.
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