COVID numbers rising in Albany area, with 45% increase at Phoebe over last week

ALBANY — As post-pandemic life continues to return to a more normal structure, the disease that killed more than a million Americans seems to be fading into the rearview mirror of public consciousness.

Mask-wearing has declined significantly, and COVID-19 has faded from the headlines and daily conversations. But an increase in hospitalizations reminds us that although the novel coronavirus that burst upon the world in late 2019 (hence the “19” in COVID-19) is still around.

For the Phoebe Putney Health System, hospitalizations have had another small spike over the last few weeks and increased by 45% over the week ending Friday, with 22 hospitalized at Phoebe’s main campus in Albany and another seven at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus.

The number hospitalized in Albany increased by 20 from the previous week.

In the 14 counties served by the Southwest Public Health District in Albany, there were 49 individuals being cared for in 10 hospitals on Friday, Dr. Charles Ruis, director of the health district, said.

“That’s doubled in the past three weeks,” he said. “It’s cause for people to be concerned, but not panicked.”

While the number of hospitalizations is up, people are not getting seriously ill and dying in large numbers as was the case in the early months of the pandemic.

“The variants appear to be weaker every new generation,” Ruis said. “That’s good, but the downside to that is as these new variants come along, they may not be as susceptible to our vaccines.”

The number of people who have been vaccinated seems to have plateaued at slightly more than 50% for the region served by the health district, a rate that still lags the state as a whole.

Sixty-six percent of Georgians have had at least one dose of one of the available vaccines, and 58% are fully vaccinated. By contrast, 58% of Dougherty County residents have had one jab and 53% are fully up to date.

Like most everything else these days, COVID vaccination has become a polarizing issue, and those who are adamantly “anti-vax” are unlikely to be swayed.

Even within southwest Georgia, the results can vary widely from county to county, Ruis said.

In both Colquitt and Worth counties, 49% of residents have had one dose and 45% are fully vaccinated, while 62% in Terrell County are fully vaccinated and 67% have had at least one dose.

“It’s pretty much come down to personal choice,” Ruis said. “But people who are over 65, people who are critically ill, are the most likely to have a severe case of COVID. Those people should do the things they can do to avoid an infection.”

Individuals with underlying health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and those with compromised immune systems, also should consider getting vaccinated if they are not and should continue to wear face masks, social distance and practice good hygiene like washing hands, the physician said.

To those who doubt the efficacy of masks, Ruis pointed to one fact of early pandemic precautions.

“In the fall of 2020 and into winter 2021, during the pandemic, the flu cases and hospitalizations plummeted,” he said. “It’s reasonable to assume the social distancing, hand-washing and wearing masks played a big role in that. We didn’t have any noticeable increase in flu shots; we can say a lot of people were wearing masks in public places. Wearing a mask helps prevent the spread of germs.”

The newer bivalent versions of the vaccine help protect against two strains of COVID.

That technology is not new, as annual flu shots often are designed to protect as many as four strains of the disease, Ruis said. The shots are available for those ages 6 months and up, and are available at the health department in Albany from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The health department also offers free testing, either through a 24-hour drive-through kiosk or on weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Over-the-counter testing supplies also are available at no cost.

Severe reactions to vaccines have been rare, and Ruis recommended people weigh the small amount of risk against the huge potential benefit of avoiding a disease that can cause severe illness and, in some cases, long-term serious health conditions or death.

“Whether it’s taking an aspirin, which can have severe harm, or a vaccine, it’s helpful to think about it and be objective and think about the real benefit versus not (taking it),” he said. “All medical interventions come with some risk. It comes down to an individual’s decision.

“We do that every time we get in an automobile. We know that there is the possibility that we will not arrive alive at our destination. We weigh that risk, and we either take the risk or we don’t. The odds are we will get there. We might be that one person in a million who has a side effect if we get that vaccine. That’s a very small statistical chance.”

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