Two weeks, one map, two COVID landscapes: Where Pa. and N.J. stand
What a difference two weeks made in the Philly region
Relaxed coronavirus mitigation efforts, plenty of reasons to gather this time of year, and an omicron subvariant have contributed to another rise in COVID-19 cases. Philadelphia schools return to masking Monday.
Bottom line: Consider pairing a mask with your sun hat, and double-check those “allergies.”
Two weeks ago, CDC data calculated low levels of COVID-19 for most Pennsylvania counties. Only four counties had the harsher orange designation signaling “high” levels of the virus. In New Jersey, none did.
CDC data released Thursday put all of the counties surrounding Philadelphia at high risk, including those in New Jersey. What’s more, almost half of Pennsylvania has left the low-risk category. In New Jersey, only Cumberland County remains low risk. Philadelphia was at medium risk.
Experts attribute New Jersey’s change to the omicron subvariant, BA. 2.12.1, which is highly transmissible. It’s yet to become the dominant variant in Pennsylvania.
South Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania hospitals are also feeling the difference in COVID stays, which reached pandemic highs during the omicron surge in January, and have steadily crept up since a low point in April.
Still, hospital leaders report that the uptick in COVID-19 patients remains manageable.
» READ MORE: COVID-19 cases are once again rising quickly in and around Philadelphia
As the region heads to the unofficial start of summer, health officials say staying on top of COVID-19 vaccines and indoor masking in high-risk communities are some of the best ways to keep illness at bay.
Staff writers Rob Tornoe, Erin McCarthy, and Jason Laughlin contributed to this article.