Omicron may be the safest variant to catch yet, but the increased transmissibility of this virus is still cause for concern. Omicron’s paradox is that although it is milder than the Delta variant, it spreads twice as fast, which means double the amount of cases. This contagious variant poses a real threat to strained healthcare systems, overwhelming hospitals with a continuously growing patient load.
According to the New York Times’ Tracker, on Dec. 28, Covid-19 cases have increased 105% in the past two weeks. And although deaths have fallen by 5% in that time, hospitalizations have risen to 6%. Furthermore, as the amount of infected patients increase in hospitals, so does the amount of infected hospital workers. This only adds to the shortage already affecting healthcare systems, leaving hospitals in difficult situations.
The CDC states that prevention is still it’s main prerogative, regardless of the reduced health risks of this virus. Prevention will be our main weapon against overpowering an already exhausted healthcare system. Even though this variant may be the safest for citizens to be exposed to, it may be the most dangerous for healthcare workers yet.
In an effort to combat the ever-changing healthcare workforce landscape, hospitals have turned to travel nurses and other healthcare professionals to help manage the sudden influx of patients. Ethos Medical Staffing has answered the call with clients across the nation with providing top-tier talent at a moment’s notice.
Interested in learning how you can help? Apply now or call 877-ethosRN
