COVID at UVA Health: By the Numbers
- 87 patients hospitalized at UVA Health with COVID-19, including 7 children
- See Virginia-wide stats from the Virginia Department of Health
What You Need to Know: Don’t Give In to Pandemic Fatigue
As the pandemic approaches the two-year mark, we’re all ready for life to return to normal. Wearing masks and social distancing is a drag. And pandemic fatigue is real.
But don’t slack now:
- COVID infection rates are higher than at any other point since the pandemic emerged in spring 2020
- Hospitals in Virginia and throughout the US are still stressed
- The vast majority of patients hospitalized with COVID are unvaccinated
COVID in Charlottesville: Seniors Need Boosters
The highly contagious omicron variant is a big factor driving the COVID-19 surge. Protecting the most vulnerable in our population is critical. In an article published January 28 in The Conversation, Laurie Archbald-Pannone, MD, a geriatrician at UVA Health, urges adults age 65 and up to get a COVID booster shot.
In the article, Archbald-Pannone notes that:
- Without the booster shot, older adults are having bad outcomes
- People living homebound or in assisted living are having a hard time getting vaccinated
If you have a loved one, consider helping them get access to the COVID vaccine and booster shot.
What We Don’t Know: Is it Omicron or the Common Cold?
With colder weather, people are spending more time indoors. That means viruses, including COVID-19, are more likely to spread. How you know whether it omicron or the common cold?
As we’ve seen consistently throughout the pandemic, the omicron variant seems to affect the upper respiratory tract, says Bill Petri, MD, an infectious disease specialist at UVA Health. Other symptoms include:
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Body aches
- Fever
- Gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea or diarrhea
“Any of those things would be a reason to go ahead and get a rapid test,” Petri says. He adds that if you get a negative result from a rapid antigen test, you should repeat the test a day or two later to be sure it’s not COVID.
“Don’t for a moment take this lightly with omicron,” Petri says. “It’s important to continue the social distancing and the mask-wearing. If you’ve been vaccinated, that’s wonderful. That’s going to keep you out of the hospital with omicron. If you get boosted, it’s going to prevent the sore throat and the milder symptoms and also help prevent transmitting it to someone else.”
COVID Fact of the Week: The new oral antivirals, Paxlovid and Lagevrio (molnupiravir), are now available by prescription for eligible UVA Health patients. This includes people with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection who also are at high risk for progression to severe disease and patients 65 and older with clinical risk factors. Ask your doctor if these drugs are right for you.
The Bottom Line: Stay Diligent in the Fight Against COVID
Don’t let pandemic fatigue get the best of you. Help our healthcare team beat COVID by:
- Getting vaccinated or a booster shot
- Wearing a mask (upgrade from a cloth mask to a medical-grade mask, if possible)
- Social distancing at indoor gatherings
- Avoiding close contact with unvaccinated people
- Protecting children ages 5 and above by getting them vaccinated
Learn more about staying safe from COVID.
Visitor Rules at UVA Health
Whether you’re going to a clinic appointment or spending the night in the hospital, make sure you know our current visitor guidelines.