JUST THE "COMMON COLD"...:

In New York City, it "identified four-fold increases in COVID-19 hospital admissions for children 18 and under beginning the week of December 5 through the current week," it said.

Omicron will become the dominant strain of COVID in Israel within one to two weeks, and it could spread so fast that quarantine will become "rampant," according to a panel of experts from the Hebrew University.

While official figures only categorize about a tenth of Israel's 12,000 coronavirus cases as Omicron patients, team head Prof. Nadav Katz said the actual figure is probably higher -- and numbers are about to grow quickly.

He predicted that the number of new infections will double weekly, and that the proportion of them that are Omicron will grow sharply. If this happens, COVID restrictions are likely to be bolstered with social distancing rules, such as more work-from-home in the private sector, within two weeks, he said.

Striebe is just one of hundreds of Vermonters whose surgery has been delayed in recent weeks as hospitals struggle to manage high numbers of patients -- both sick with Covid-19 and not. And while many patients do continue to receive prompt medical care, some of those kept waiting experience notable impacts in their day-to-day lives. 

Last week, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, which serves many Vermonters in the southern part of the state, posted on Facebook: "Due to the high number of COVID-19 patients in our hospital, we are experiencing a shortage in the staffing and beds needed to provide you with the most appropriate care. For these reasons, your surgery or procedure may be delayed. Thank you for your patience during these challenging times."

Dartmouth-Hitchcock did not respond to emails with questions about delayed surgeries. 

On Nov. 30, the University of Vermont Medical Center announced it was postponing elective procedures through the end of the year to preserve the capacity amid surging Covid-19 cases. That decision delayed care for an estimated 200 to 250 patients, said hospital spokesperson Annie Mackin.

Hospital leaders decided this week to reopen a few more operating rooms in January, Mackin said, though they will still operate below normal surgical capacity.

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