SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said residents need to “brace” themselves for higher case numbers of COVID-19 now that the omicron variant is spreading in New York state.
“We’re starting to see and learn more about the omicron variant. It does seem to be that it’s potentially twice as contagious as the delta variant and it does seem that the symptoms are more mild than the delta variant,” the county executive said during a COVID-19 briefing on Thursday at the Oncenter.
McMahon said he wants residents to be proactive to help keep local hospital numbers down, especially if they get the virus and they’re in a demographic “that has not done well.”
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“If you have underlying health conditions, you need to contact your doctor immediately to look at monoclonal antibodies as a therapeutic to help you avoid getting sicker and going to the hospital,” McMahon said.
He went on to say the “most important metric” now is the hospitalization numbers and the ability to treat both critical COVID-19 patients and other ailments at Syracuse hospitals.
“We need to get our mind around that because that’s what’s coming with this variant, if this variant truly is twice as contagious as delta,” McMahon said.
The county executive said Onondaga County hasn’t had any additional confirmed omicron cases beyond the one reported on Monday.
“My assumption is that it’s here and at some point, we’re going to get confirmed that the percentage of cases in the community still is growing, probably exponentially,” he said. “I think delta is still our main problem right now, which is bad because [the delta variant’s] nasty, but at some point, it looks like omicron’s probably going to take over delta during the next few winter months here,” McMahon stipulated.
Latest COVID-19 data
The county executive reported three additional deaths, including one that New York State reported in a nursing home.
The two hospital deaths were a male in his 70s and a male in his 90s. Both had underlying health conditions.
“Certainly, we continue to think about the families and all the loved ones and keep them in our prayers in this process,” McMahon said.
He also said 141 people are currently in a Syracuse hospital with COVID, including 35 residents in the intensive-care unit (ICU). Of those recovering in an ICU, 86 percent are unvaccinated.
Syracuse hospitals reported 17 new hospital admissions over the last 24 hours, and of those patients, nearly half (47 percent) are unvaccinated.
McMahon also noted that 15 percent of people aged 18 and over in Onondaga County have not received a shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“That small percentage of the population [15 percent unvaccinated] is driving 86 percent of our ICU beds and day in and day out, close to 50 percent, if not more, of all hospital beds,” he emphasized.
He used the age 18 and over demographic because Onondaga County has “very few” hospitalizations related to COVID under the age of 18.
McMahon went on to say that the vaccine is a tool that protects people from the virus, can keep residents out of a hospital, but “most importantly,” gives a person protection from needing treatment in an ICU.
“It is the best tool we have to get through what are likely to be a rough couple weeks with the omicron variant,” McMahon said. “Get your vaccine. Get your booster shot, and test when your’re sick,” he implored the public.
McMahon also reported 295 new cases on Thursday and 1,816 active cases. Onondaga County has had between 1,700 and 2,000 active cases for about a week, “so things have stabilized from the upward trajectory,” he added.
