Should COVID Metrics Focus on Hospitalization Numbers Instead of Case Counts?

As we enter the third year of the global pandemic with new COVID-19 cases skyrocketing to the highest numbers ever recorded, some public health experts suggest metrics should no longer hinge on case counts but rather on the number of patients hospitalized. Although the United States has seen staggering numbers of new cases, averaging nearly 500,000 per day, the number of Americans hospitalized due to COVID-19 has risen more slowly. The high case numbers are due to the rapid transmission of Omicron, the latest variant to SARS-CoV-2, while the lower-than-expected hospitalization numbers are probably due to the fact that those vaccinated against COVID-19 typically experience mild symptoms. Click here to read more.