Dr. Katz Breaks Down Omicron Reality: Case Levels: High, Patients in ICUs: Low

By Yehudit Garmaise

 

Despite the high levels of hysteria about Omicron that New Yorkers can sense, as the COVID positivity rate continues to increase to levels not yet seen, Mitch Katz, MD, the CEO of NYC Health and Hospitals, made clear that while the numbers of New Yorkers testing positive for COVID right now is “astronomically increasing,” he explained that very few of those COVID-positive New Yorkers are “very sick.”

 

Compared to March of 2020, when 970 patients were in the city’s hospital system’s Intensive Care Units, today that number was 54.

 

“Cases: huge increase; ICU: tiny increase,” Dr. Katz explained to BoroPark24. “For people in the middle, who need hospitalization: there is a mild increase.”

 

Today’s ICU total is up a bit from the city’s lowest number of COVID ICU patients, which was 20, just a few weeks ago.

 

“So, we are seeing a very slight increase in the sickest of patients,” said Dr. Katz who oversees the staffing and patient care of 11 city hospitals. “We are seeing mild increases in people who need to come in for a few days of oxygen therapy, they generally don’t need to be intubated and don’t need to be in the ICU.”

 

Dr. Katz added that in terms of risks of severe disease, the difference vaccination makes is huge.

 

In fact, the first person to die of the Omicron variant in the US was a man from Texas in his 50s, who was unvaccinated, but who had previously had COVID and currently was immunocompromised, said the Harris County Health Department.

 

“Overwhelming: the patients who are in our ICUs, who are on ventilators with COVID are the unvaccinated,” Dr. Katz said. “To block misinformation, yes, many people know someone who is vaccinated and boosted who still got very sick: that is because that patient is on immunosuppressant drugs or has an underlying immunodeficiency that means that they do not develop the same level of antibodies when they get vaccinated.”

 

“It is incumbent on all of the rest of us to help protect them,” Dr. Katz said, who pointed out the extra vulnerability of the elderly and the immunocompromised right now is why the mayor and Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi, MD, advised them to skip optional group, indoor activities and travel right now.

 

“We know that the elderly and the immunocompromised do not mount as robust a response [as younger, healthier people,” Dr. Katz said. “But even they are much safer with vaccination.”

 

When Dr. Katz was asked whether the unvaccinated are also experiencing mild symptoms from COVID right now, he said, “That is an open question.

 

“That is not yet known. There is not enough data at least that I feel comfortable being able to tell you.

 

“What I am comfortable saying is that among people who are vaccinated, which is most of New York City, the disease seems to be very mild.”

 

Dr. Katz added, however, that in terms of risks of severe disease, the difference vaccination makes is huge both for one’s own protection and to protect the loved ones in our families and communities who are elderly and the immunocompromised.

 

In response to New Yorkers’ confusion about “Omicron-hype,” Dr. Katz said, “It is not about cases.

 

“It is about keeping people out of the hospital, keeping people off ventilators, not allowing fellow New Yorkers to die, that is what we most care about, and vaccination is how we do that.”

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.