East Georgia Regional Medical Center has 12 active COVID cases with 1 patient on a ventilator, a significant decrease from past months, according to GriceConnect.

In recent weeks, speculation has grown around the shift of COVID-19 from towards an endemic state. The WHO defines an endemic as “an increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in that area.”

“Endemic would mean the disease is still circulating, but at a lower, more predictable rate and with fewer people requiring hospitalization all at once,” said Gerguis, GS’ interim Medical Director. “We cannot predict a shift of COVID-19 to endemicity currently because it is dependent on factors like the strength of immune protection from vaccination and natural infection, our patterns of contact with one another that allow the spread, and the transmissibility of the virus.”

“If COVID-19 does become an endemic disease, we should not stop being very prudent, but we will likely be able to take measures less drastic to the ones we had to take two years ago,” said Gerguis, encouraging students and faculty to remain vigilant against the virus. 

Gerguis referred back to the CDC recommendations to remain protected in situations where spread can happen easily:

• Know the level of community spread where you are
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
• If you have symptoms, get tested.
• Use other risk-reduction measures, like frequently washing hands and keeping hands away from your face and eyes.