7 Delta Variant Developments — RI Hospitalizations Increase 368% in 3 Weeks
GoLocalProv News Team
7 Delta Variant Developments — RI Hospitalizations Increase 368% in 3 Weeks
The greatest increase and one of the most troublesome numbers is that hospitalizations have increased 368% in three weeks — one of the most dramatic increases in the 18-month history of the coronavirus in Rhode Island.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTDr. Michael Fine, the former Rhode Island Director of Health, warns that the pace of increase of cases and hospitalization is expected to continue in Rhode Island until Labor Day or even longer.
See 7 Delta Variant Developments Below
7 Delta Variant Developments - August 13, 2021
School Standards Confusion
In August of 2020, then-Governor Gina Raimondo announced a masking requirement in RI schools and that schools in communities with more than 100 cases per 100,000 could not open for in-person classes.
Now, under Governor Dan McKee there is no statewide school masking mandate and the overall statement transmission level is over 150 cases per 100,000.
FDA Authorizes COVID Boosters for Immunocompromised
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized booster shots for certain people with weakened immune systems. Israel and other countries are already providing boosters to those over 50 years and older.
The agency on Thursday cleared giving a third dose of a messenger RNA Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer or from Moderna to immunocompromised people who had received a solid organ transplant or individuals who have been diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise.
“After a thorough review of the available data, the FDA determined that this small, vulnerable group may benefit from a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Vaccines,” Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement.
Rhode Island Hospitalizations
The number of COVID-related hospitalizations have increased from 19 to 89 in three weeks.
The highest number since May 13 - three months ago.
Record Number of Children Hospitalized with COVID
Driven by the Delta variant the number of children hospitalized has increased to 1,785, according to a CNN report.
RI's Daily Vaccinations Have Collapsed
On April 10, RI gave 4,559 vaccination shots and on August 11, the number fell to 658.
An 85% decrease.
RI COVID Deaths
GoLocal has learned that in future weeks, the RI Department of Health has modeled that the agency expects as many as 100 additional virus-related deaths in this surge.
Vaccine Doses Thrown Out
According to the RI Department of Health, the agency has thrown out more than 10,000 vaccine doses.
"We have had 10,505 doses discarded. Of the more than 100,000 doses administered, this is a wastage rate of 0.84%. (Discarded is defined as wasted, spoiled, or expired.) For context, most other vaccines have a target waste rate of 5% or 10%," said the agency in an email to GoLocal.
