Dave Whamond, PoliticalCartoons.com
By Stephanie Innes | Arizona Republic
Thanksgiving could return Arizona’s COVID-19 hospital numbers to severe summer levels, local health experts warn.
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 in Arizona remain below levels the state saw during the summer peak, but the trends are heading in the wrong direction and medical officials are prepared for the worst. And the worst, some worry, could come after families and friends gather against medical advice for Thanksgiving feasts on Nov. 26, which could further fuel the ongoing rise in virus infections, especially among more vulnerable older Arizonans.
Cases numbers are up and the reproduction rate of the virus in Arizona on Tuesday was at 1.09 on a scale that says anything more than 1.0 means COVID-19 will spread quickly.
“As long as our case count continues to increase, ultimately we’ll also see an increase in hospitalizations,” said Dr. Michael White, chief medical officer for Valleywise Health in Phoenix. “I think we’re early into this yet, to be honest.”
