The state is reporting 15-thousand COVID deaths since the pandemic started, but is there hope we’ll see fewer COVID deaths in the months ahead. Tulane Epidemiologist Doctor Susan Hassig says one hopeful sign is that the mortality rate with the Omicron verge does not seem to be as severe as it was with the Delta surge.
“If in fact the next variant and the variant after that are similarly mild, we might not reach 20,000 (deaths), but it’s all dependant on the virus,” said Hassig.
Hassig says the best way to prevent death from COVID is getting vaccinated and keeping up with the boosters, but that’s a concern in Louisiana, which has one of the nation’s lowest vaccination rates as half of the state’s population is has completed the COVID-19 vaccine series.
“The vaccines were designed to prevent severe illness and avert mortality and they are doing just that, so the key to stopping more deaths from occurring is to get more people vaccinated,” said Hassig.
Hassig says while it’s possible the rate of deaths from COVID may slow down, the concern remains about hospitals being inundated with sick COVID patients and not having the ability to properly treat other diseases.
“People aren’t getting the care for heart disease for diabetes for all sorts of others things that can kill folks because there is no space or because they are afraid of going to hospital with so much COVID there,’ said Hassi.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the number of COVID patients in the hospital is 1,226 according to the Louisiana Department of Health. 77% of the current COVID hospitalizations are not vaccinated.
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