MADISON, WI (WTAQ) — COVID-19 infection numbers are still high in Wisconsin, a result of the ongoing omicron variant surge– but officials say there’s reason for optimism.
DHS Bureau of Infectious Diseases Dr. Ryan Westergaard says we might be close to the peak.
“There are some jurisdictions that have seemed to have a decline in the past week,” Westergaard told reporters on Thursday. “So I think we can be hopeful that we are near the peak if not there already.”
Where we aren’t, though, is clear: over 15,000 newly reported COVID-19 infections were recorded Wednesday in Wisconsin, meaning that we’re not out of it just yet.
Recent CDC data suggests that natural immunity from prior infection provides strong and lasting protection against COVID-19. Combined with record infection levels, this could lead to a hitherto-unseen level of herd immunity.
“On the other side of this current surge, where people are becoming infected in greater numbers than ever, I think we’re going to have a lot of people with some level of immune protection,” Westergaard said, responding to a question posed by WTAQ. “That’s generally how pandemics end.”
The big question, Westergaard says, is how the virus will mutate in the future.
“The really big question mark is whether, and when, additional genetic variants that can escape the immunity we have accumulated in the last two years [arrive],” explained Westergaard.
The Omicron variant, health experts say, is less severe than previous strains of COVID-19, but more transmissible.
