ASC administrators hope to move past COVID-19 next year, but the pandemic is far from over. The U.S. hit a new seven-day average record of 267,000 cases Dec. 28, according to The New York Times.
The highly contagious delta and omicron variants, along with holiday travel, are to blame for the increase in cases, according to the report. The record numbers were released one day after the CDC cut the recommended isolation time for people who test positive for COVID-19 from 10 to five days.
Five things to know:
1. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 are spiking again, forcing health systems across the U.S. to halt nonurgent surgeries. Cleveland Clinic is the most recent example, extending its timeline for postponing nonurgent outpatient and ambulatory surgeries from Jan. 3-14.
2. Health systems in multiple states have capacity issues once again. Hospitals in Maryland activated crisis standards of care earlier this week after COVID-19 cases surged. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will send strike teams to Pennsylvania hospitals to relieve hospital capacity strain in areas hit hard by COVID-19, Keara Klinepeter, acting secretary of health for Pennsylvania, confirmed Dec. 28.
3. Nursing shortages persist, and hospitals are upping pay again. For example, Iowa expects to spend more than $9 million for 100 out-of-state nurses and respiratory therapists for six weeks as COVID-19 hospitalizations spike, according to The Gazette. The state plans to pay $330 per hour for nurses to work 20 hours of overtime per week.
4. COVID-19 hospitalizations among children are on the rise. NBC News reported that its analysis of HHS data shows pediatric hospitalizations were up 52 percent in the last four weeks. Pediatric hospitalizations have grown the most in Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Ohio.
5. President Joe Biden acknowledged a shortage of COVID-19 tests Dec. 28 and said his administration plans to buy 500 million at-home tests for Americans free of charge, in addition to the 50 million the administration purchased for community health centers, The Hill reported.