HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – At-home COVID tests have been hard to come by in South Florida.
Some managers at big chain stories told Local 10 News Wednesday that the tests are even on back order because of apparent high demand.
In South Florida, we’ve been gathering and rallying, whether it be for the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup run or for political candidates.
People have also been packing planes, more than ever before, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
The more we move, the more the virus moves with us and spreads among us.
Dr. Hany Atallah, the Chief Medical Officer with Jackson Health, said the system was treating close to 70 people with COVID just a couple of weeks ago.
“It’s a thing,” he said of the surge. “On July 6, we sort of reached a peak of 113.”
The CDC says COVID infections are “growing, or likely growing in 39 states,” Florida, and more specifically, South Florida included.
Memorial Health saw COVID patients doubled from 49 in late June to 96 this week.
“As we already know, this virus mutates a lot, and so, we’re seeing multiple, different strains,” Dr. Paula Eckardt, the system’s chief of infectious disease, said. “Most of the patients are not as sick as in the past when we had the big surges.”
Fortunately, no one has died.
“As the community gets it, people will develop more and more antibodies to it, and hopefully prevent spread of the infection, or severity of illness when they get infected,” said Atallah.
Experts agree that this summer’s COVID surge likely won’t be the last.
“I don’t think, and I hope, that it doesn’t get to, sort of where it was back a few years ago,” said Atallah.
Eckardt added, “Usually, it will die down, and we’ll wait for the next one to come up.”
Doctors say immunocompromised people should be aware of the spike and take the necessary precautions.
They say masks in crowded places are still a good idea and having the vaccine is helpful. They also advise you to wash your hands, stay home when you’re sick and generally, just use common sense.