COVID-19 Surge In Ohio: When The Next Wave Could Hit

CLEVELAND — Ohio's next COVID-19 surge could come during the holiday season.

"We're concerned about what might happen as we look at the winter and deep winter surge we had last year," said Dr. Robert Wylie, chief of medical operations at the Cleveland Clinic. He added that the holidays will see families and friends congregating together indoors, which could contribute to increased spread.

Wylie and his colleagues are worried about a "twindemic" with the flu and COVID-19 spreading rapidly and hospitalizing patients at the same time.

Live in Cleveland? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone.

There are reasons for hope, however. Dr. Daniel Simon, chief scientific officer for University Hospitals, said several new COVID-19 treatments are being studied and vaccine access is being expanded to more Ohioans.

Additionally, the most recent COVID-19 surge peaked last month, according to Wylie. Cases have begun to drop statewide in the ensuing weeks.

However, that does not mean another wave of the virus could not develop quickly. That could further burden the state's short-staffed hospitals and intensive care units.

The most recent delta variant-driven surge strained intensive care units throughout Ohio, including those in Cleveland, said Dr. Hassan Khouli, department of critical care medicine for Cleveland Clinic.

"What's unfortunate about this current surge is it's very preventable," Khouli said. The majority of patients in his intensive care units are unvaccinated. Patients who contract the virus and develop serious symptoms after being vaccinated tend to have underlying medical conditions and tend to be older. However, younger and younger unvaccinated patients have been admitted for treatment in intensive care units.

Increasingly, Khouli added, families are asking for patients to be treated with untested, unproven methods. What's important, he said, is focusing on what we know works to treat the virus and to prevent the spread of the virus through vaccination.

The threat of another surge worries Khouli, who believes additional strain on his units could impact patients with COVID-19 and patients seeking other intensive care.

"Our teams are tired," he said.

Pediatric Perspective

Unlike previous COVID-19 surges, pediatric hospitals saw a significant increase in infected patients during the most recent surge. There was a scarcity of beds at many children's hospitals at points prior to the recent surge's retreat.

"Currently, the rate at UH for kids who are symptomatic, who test for COVID, is about 10 percent. That's down versus the past couple of weeks," said Dr. Claudia Hoyen, director, pediatric infection control, UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital.

She noted that more children are developing long-haul COVID-19, meaning they're battling symptoms of the virus for significant stretches of time. The patients may suffer from brain fog and fibromyalgia-like symptoms.

"We're still worried about what is to come for children who had COVID-19," Hoyen said. Multi-inflammatory syndrome in children could also become more common, she added as an example. "It can be quite serious and these patients can require ICU care."

On the bright side, Hoyen is excited about the prospect of COVID-19 vaccines becoming more widely available to children. The outcome of studies have been very promising, with high efficacy of protecting kids, while side effects have been minimal, mostly limited to things like fevers and aches and pains.

There have been concerns about myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, that could occur as a side effect. However, Hoyen said, that particular side effect seems to be less of an issue for children.

"When we look at children who develop myocarditis after getting a vaccine, those children are typically seeing very mild symptoms," she said.

The benefit of these vaccines, for children, outweigh the risks, Hoyen said. As the holidays approach, and family gatherings loom, the best way to protect children, parents, friends, neighbors and everyone in your community, is to get a COVID-19 vaccine, Hoyen said.