Medical experts in Dallas have expressed worry that North Texas could see a winter “spike” in COVID-19 cases. According to Fox 4 News, the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI) has projected a rise in hospitalizations due to indoor holiday gatherings.
It is too early for experts to know how the Omicron variant could affect the region, but they say the Delta variant is still something to be concerned about.
“The pandemic certainly has been one of the most challenging things that we’ve had to deal with,” Steve Miff, the CEO of PCCI, told Fox 4.
Parkland Hospital expects to see a 40% increase in hospitalizations due to the coronavirus during the winter season.
According to Fox 4 News, the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation has spent the past decade collecting information about vulnerable communities in Dallas County. Throughout the pandemic, they have continued collecting data about testing, COVID-19 cases, vaccinations, and more.
Dallas County Health and Human Services have used this data to determine which neighborhoods it needs to focus on when deciding where to provide clinics and testing sites.
“How do we bring those locations where people need, most convenient, also to inform and understand,” Miff said. “Well, where do people actually spend their time, not only when they’re in their home, but what are some of the locations that they most frequently visit?”
The southern part of Dallas is the most underserved, Miff explained to Fox 4 News.
“We’ve seen it with COVID. We’re seeing it as we look at pediatric asthma cases,” he said. “We’re seeing it as we build and deploy predictive models for preterm birth or some of the other components.”
Around 10% of Dallas County residents have gotten their booster shots, and about 45% have had the COVID virus. According to Fox 4 News, a portion of the Dallas County community does not have any immunity to the virus.
Miff said, “We have about 12% of the population that likely has no immunity, not previously. In fact, there [are those who] have not been vaccinated, and by far they’re at the highest risk. And that represents if you think about just Dallas County, roughly 300,000 people.”
The Mayo Clinic defines herd immunity as “when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.”
Based on previous information and behavior patterns, PCCI still predicts a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations by January.
Dr. Nikhil Bhayani, an infectious disease advisor for Texas Health Resources, told Fox that there would likely be more cases of the Omicron variant in North Texas.
Bhayani said, “What we have gathered from the World Health Organization and the health authorities in South Africa is that the illness has been relatively mild.”
He encouraged getting the vaccine to prevent getting COVID -19 or its variants.
“Number one, do not panic,” Bhayani said. “Just use our astute judgment in social distancing and hygiene. Get vaccinated if you have not, and if you’re eligible for the booster, definitely get the booster.”
According to Fox 4 News, the first cases of the Omicron variant in North Texas were reported last week. A Frisco lab reported two cases that came from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
