This browser does not support the Video element.
Health officials seeing light at the end of the tunnel for omicron surge
Officials say they are seeing encouraging signs that the omicron variant surge is nearing its peak, but have added that wee are not quite out of the woods yet.
PHILADELPHIA - Area doctors are sharing encouraging news in the fight against COVID-19 as case counts and hospitalizations have leveled off in recent days.
The good news has left some cautiously optimistic.
"Last week I mentioned that we might be seeing the peak of the Omicron wave. Since then we have started to see a drop in the number of cases identified," Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole explained during her weekly briefing on Wednesday.
Although the omicron wave may still be far from over there was signs it is in retreat.
The seven-day average of new cases down 8% since this weekend.
The nationwide fight against COVID-19 landed a big punch this week as the federal government launched it’s new website for free COVID tests and announced it’s making 400 million N95 masks free to all Americans.
RELATED HEADLINES:
- Philadelphia starting to see drop in new COVID-19 cases, officials say
- Free government COVID test kits now available: Everything you need to know
- 400 million free N95 masks to be made available starting next week, White House says
- Vaccination cards required to dine in restaurants or attend sporting events in Philadelphia
"I think we are going to see opportunities to get back to I’ll call it a post pandemic normal. Probably this spring and summer," said Dr. E. John Wherry with University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Immunology.
Dr. Wherry added that he expects more variants of COVID to emerge at some point with lesser impact.
"Have to caution that. We’re still higher in cases, higher in hospitalizations and more transmission than we’ve ever been in the pandemic. But there are a lot of things turning the right direction," Wherry added.
___
DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APP
SUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTube
FOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter