MARQUETTE, MI— Marquette is dealing with another wave of COVID.
The Marquette County Health Department says due to Omicron variants and reinfection rates, cases are seven-fold higher than the lowest number of cases before this last wave. That’s likely under-counted by two- to eight-fold, as home testing isn’t part of the statistics.
MCHD Medical Director, Dr. Bob Lorinser, says there hasn’t been a proportional increase in severe cases, hospitalizations and deaths because of vaccinations and previous infections. Of the patients admitted to UPHS-Marquette for COVID since May 9, only 25 percent are up to date with vaccines. None of the COVID patients requiring ICU care are boosted.
Lorinser says those who have been fully vaccinated—including a booster—and those previously infected with Omicron are the most protected population. He suggests getting three doses of the vaccine, consider masking in public, and discussing antiviral therapies if you become re-infected.
