Spike In DFW COVID-19 Hospitalizations Expected To Level Off Soon, UT Southwestern Medical Center Says
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - New data from UT Southwestern Medical Center shows COVID-19 hospitalizations in Dallas-Fort Worth have increased by 9% over the past two weeks.
But that data from also contains some encouraging news about what the next few weeks will bring.
Like a lot of North Texas doctors, Al Johnson has been seeing a lot more patients than usual with COVID-19.
"I'm seeing a jump in my practice but that's just been in the last couple of weeks with that spike that everybody is seeing," said Dr. Johnson.
But the spike could be leveling off according to new statistics compiled by UTSWMC.
It even forecasts COVID-19 hospitalizations taking a steep dive in October if the public continues mask wearing and social distancing.
"We've now plateaued will hopefully will start going down I think if we all wear masks and are vaccinated, physical distance," said Steve Love of the DFW Hospital Council. "We're gonna do our very best to tamp down this delta variant and prevent a flu season."
The reason doctors say COVID-19 cases may be peaking is the combination of more people getting vaccinated as well as more people developing antibodies from contracting the virus.
"And so we're in that last little group now the unvaccinated pediatric group and those are the ones getting sick," said Dr. Johnson.
He said. the continued surge in the number of children catching the virus is worrisome and crowded classrooms will only make it worse.
Doctors expect vaccinations to be approved for kids as young as 5 years old sometime next month to address the increase in pediatric cases.