GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — State and local health officials are concerned this holiday season could stress our community and hospitals even more.
"The Delta variant really is a game-changer with all of this," Dr. Liam Sullivan said. He is an Infectious Disease Specialist with Spectrum Health. He says that's the reason why state and local health officials are so concerned about this holiday season.
"One person has the ability to infect seven to eight other people around them," says Sullivan.
This current surge of the pandemic is expected to last at least four months. Right now 72% of hospitalizations and 76% of deaths are patients who are unvaccinated.
"And I think that adds a sense of urgency going into the holidays when people are going to be gathering even more, and making the making the potential for the more infections to occur, more hospitalizations to occur to strain the healthcare system even more because we're not shutting down society like we did last year."
Sullivan adds that the only hope to end this pandemic is through vaccinations. \
Right now the state is at 70% but health officials say we'll need to be closer to 90 to 95% in order to create herd immunity.
"But I think it's pretty clear that we need a high high level of immunity to really slow down the spread of this virus, and we're not there yet."
The biggest thing to remember is that even though you may feel fine you could have the Delta Variant and continue to spread it.
"The Delta variant is just waiting and lurking and going to go after people who are vulnerable," Sullivan said.
Here are some ways you can stop the spread of COVID this holiday season:
- Keep a window open for ventilation
- Use air purifiers if you have them
- Mask up and social distance when possible.
- And get vaccinated it's not to late. Even if you get your first vaccination this weekend it will still give you *some protection by Thanksgiving
Here is a list of places available for both vaccines and boosters.
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