CNN’s Dr. Leana Wen: One of the Things We Should Be Doing to Prevent Hospitals from Getting Overwhelmed Is Getting Updated Covid Shot

EXCERPT:

WEN: "Last year at this time, we were seeing something similar, except it was actually worse already. At the end of November, the heads of children's hospital were calling on the Biden Administration to declare a state of emergency because of how terrible that situation was. And then back during the peak of Omicron, beds were also full. So we’re seeing something not unlike what we saw in previous years — again, the numbers are not as bad yet as in those previous two seasons — and I know that the hospitals are all getting their preparedness plans ready to try to increase capacity. But I would say that also puts the onus on us, as well, as individuals, because so many people who have not yet gotten vaccinated, for example, are able to do so. The vaccination rates for the flu lag well behind what they were last year. And when you look at the updated Covid shot, only about a third of people 65 and older have gotten that vaccine. That includes nursing home residents. Only about a third have gotten the updated Covid shot. So there is a lot that we as individuals can be doing to try to prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed as well."