COVID-19 Testing Demand Still Rising, Experts Predict Decline
SANTA MONICA (CBSLA) - COVID-19 testing sites continue to be inundated with patients looking to get tested.
Cases continue grow at exponential numbers, hospitalizations are ticking upwards and the death toll is not slowing down.
However experts like Dr. Nancy Gin of Kaiser Permanente of Southern California told CBSLA Reporter Jake Reiner that we could be nearing a downswing in cases.
On Sunday, concerned parents like Sarah Blitz took her kids to 911 COVID Testing out of precaution before they head back to school on Tuesday.
"We are getting tested because there was some exposures and we want to make sure everybody is safe," Blitz said.
As of Sunday, the rolling daily average rate of people testing positive for coronavirus sits at 17.3 percent.
While there are many patients in the hospital who are discovering they have COVID after admission, there has been a Los Angeles County surge in hospitalizations of sick people.
"While the numbers are very sobering, we're continuing to see increases - there are glimmers of hope that we may be nearing a peak soon," Dr. Gin said.
Gin believes the recent surge can be tied to all the family gatherings over the holiday season.
But she said she believes that much like the beginning of 2021, the surge is expected to slow down.
"Interestingly, it was exactly at this time last year where we did peak in terms of the most admissions in the hospital and started a very gradual dissent downward," Gin said.