Has Omicron Peaked In Ohio? Not Yet, But End May Be In Sight, Doc Says

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Has Omicron peaked in Ohio? Not yet, but end may be in sight, doc says

by Tom Bosco

Wed, January 12, 2022 at 6:35 PMUpdated Wed, January 12, 2022 at 9:55 PM4VIEW ALL PHOTOSOhioHealth sign with directions for COVID-19 testing. Dec. 27, 2021. (WSYX)Comment on this story0CommentShare storyShare

topics:

• Boston
• Boston,Massachusetts,United States
• Chicago
• Chicago,Illinois,United States
• Cuyahoga County,Ohio,United States
• Delaware,United States
• Marion,South Australia,Australia
• Ohio,United States

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Reports out of South Africa and the UK show the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has peaked. Similar news suggests Boston and Chicago may be on the downward side of the Omicron wave. Could Ohio be at its peak with the variant? Not quite yet, said one Central Ohio doctor, but we could be on the downswing soon.

“It appears at least in Cuyahoga County that they have reached their peak and maybe even have come down a little bit,” said Dr. Joseph Gastaldo, infectious disease expert at OhioHealth. But Gastaldo said statewide we are not at the peak of the virus.

That’s especially true in Central Ohio. When measured in terms of cases per 100,000 people, Franklin County is the fourth highest in the state, with Union County right behind at number 5. Delaware and Marion Counties are at 13 and 14 in the state.

Gastaldo said hospitalization numbers are continuing to rise as well. He said he will be able to relax once we see cases go down for a few days.

“Not just coming down for one day or two,” he said. “We need to really have a seven to 10-day average coming down. Once we see that, I will begin to breathe a deep sigh of relief.”

Gastaldo said within a few weeks, 2022 should start to look up. He anticipates Omicron cases to fall and for there to be more testing available, along with more medicine to treat COVID.

“As each month comes along in 2022 we should have more availability at-home tests, better access to tests in general, and better availability and access to oral antiviral medications.”

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