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July 15, 2021
After months of the number of COVID-19 cases on the decline, infections in the U.S. are on the rise again. All but three states in the U.S. have reported a doubled rate of COVID in only the past week alone.
The news is troubling and experts aren’t sure what the fall will hold.
Here’s what travel nurses need to know about what’s currently happening with COVID and what travel nursing jobs are available right now.
Interested in assignments in COVID-impacted areas? Start here.
For the first time since April 2021, the CDC is reporting an increase in COVID infections for the U.S., up 16% from the week before.
But it’s not all doom and gloom yet. Despite the increase, the rate of new infections is roughly 94% less than it was at the peak in January of this year. And overall, case counts are low.
Here’s some quick data points:
The Delta variant is officially the primary circulating strain of COVID-19 in the U.S. Some states are experiencing outbreaks that are straining local health systems.
Missouri, for instance, has been in the news as a Delta variant outbreak has overwhelmed local hospitals. Missouri has one of the lowest vaccination rates of any state. Doctors there are reporting a 10x increase in hospitalizations for some areas and younger patients than with previous outbreaks.
“We are seeing younger and sicker patients coming,” Steve Edwards, CEO of CoxHealth in Missouri told USA Today. “The delta variant’s almost got to be looked at as a different disease, affecting younger people.”
Along with an increase in cases across the country, hospitalizations from COVID are on the rise again.
According to the CDC, there’s been an overall increase in hospitalizations since June 28. This week’s numbers have increased about 9% from the previous week’s average.
Interestingly, younger people are being hospitalized than with the first few COVID waves.
For example, the CDC reports that more than 40% of hospitalizations due to COVID are for people ages 18-49. This could be due to a couple of factors. The higher vaccination rate among older people may be preventing more serious cases and younger people may have more exposure to the virus due to lifestyle.
The New York Times COVID case map shows that overall case counts are still relatively low compared to last March but some parts of the country are struggling, especially in areas where vaccination rates are low. Arkansas, Missouri, Texas and Nevada are all currently experiencing outbreaks attributed to the Delta variant.
As outbreaks continue to happen, there may be more travel nurse positions opening up in hotspot areas.
Here’s a sampling of some of the current travel nursing positions and pay rates available:
Speak with a recruiter about available assignments in COVID-impacted areas today.
According to the CDC, 55.6% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 48.1% are fully vaccinated.
Vaccination rates, in general, have declined without picking back up. The data is showing nearly all US deaths from COVID are occurring in people who haven’t been vaccinated.
Some states have increased the push for vaccines, like Michigan, which is offering a $1 and $2 million lottery, along with $50K daily drawings for newly vaccinated individuals. Others states have gone the opposite way, like Tennessee, which recently fired its Director of Public Health for advocating for adolescents to get vaccinated and is now banning the advertising of vaccinations to adolescents.
As of right now, the CDC and FDA are pushing back against the need for a booster shot for fully vaccinated people. Pfizer is presenting data in support of a booster, but the FDA has noted they will not rely on studies from Pfizer alone in a recommendation of the booster.
In other COVID news:
Interested in assignments in COVID-impacted areas? Start here.
