Fear Grips NYC As COVID Surges, Omicron Spreads

NEW YORK CITY — Anxiety washed over New York City as COVID-19 cases continued a troubling spike toward nearly 4,000 daily detected infections.

The surge in cases could soon overwhelm hospitals if further fueled by the highly contagious omicron coronavirus variant, Governor Kathy Hochul warned Thursday.

“That winter surge is in full force and I believe it’s going to get even stronger and more virulent, and we are in for a rough ride this winter season,” she said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio followed up with a stark prognosis of his own.

"It is clear that the omicron variant is here in New York City in full force," he said, shortly before unveiling a six-prong plan to combat the surge.

This week, New Yorkers appeared to come to an en masse realization that the COVID-19 pandemic is vastly different to how it was even a few short weeks ago.

People waited hours in long lines outside testing facilities across the city. Social media posts documented frustrations with testing lags, fears over exposures and anecdotes about positive cases.

"Today in NY feels very much like the diet version of the day when we realized COVID was real," tweeted Zara Rahim, a communications consultant.

today in NY feels very much like the diet version of the day when we realized COVID was real
— Zara Rahim (@ZaraRahim) December 16, 2021

The long lines can't just be chalked up to New Yorkers getting tests before Christmas either. Cases are on a distinct upward trajectory.

The average number of cases stands at 3,709 a day as of Thursday, according to city health data.

That's a 350 percent increase over the 825 cases seen Nov. 1, when infections started to climb.

The delta variant is likely fueling much of that surge, health officials have said. But omicron — last estimated to account for 13 percent of cases — is likely to overtake delta soon, said health Commissioner Dave Chokshi.

Some research — such as a yet-to-be reviewed study from Columbia University — indicates the omicron variant, in addition to being more transmissible, is also more resistant to vaccines than the delta variant. Vaccines and boosters still do provide protection, the study found — and Chokshi noted other research in New York City showed unvaccinated people in general are eight times more likely to get infected and 13 times more likely to be hospitalized.

"The early studies do suggest that vaccines remain effective in reducing your chances of severe disease," he said. "This means needing oxygen or needing a hospital bed. And that's despite the fact that vaccine effectiveness in preventing infection may be reduced."

Other research hints the omicron variant causes less severe infections. Mary Bassett, the state's health commissioner, said that may sound like good news, but the variant's higher rate of infection could fuel "exponential spread."

"With exponential spread, a variant that is more contagious can mean far more hospitalization, even if less severe per infection," a slide she presented stated.

As Hochul put it: "You may only have 1 percent of people infected hospitalized versus 10 percent from delta, but if you have a million more people infected, because it’s spread so much more quickly, that means you’ll have overflowing hospitals at this rate."

Hospitalizations remain at manageable levels in New York City, but officials noted they often lag infections.

Testing is obviously on New Yorkers' minds. Incoming Council Member Crystal Hudson documented one of many long lines in the city with frustration.

"Please get it together," she tweeted at de Blasio, Hochul and the city's and state's health departments.

I came to a @nycHealthy mobile testing site (Bergen & Troy) this morning to get a rapid test (they were out yesterday), and this is what I found…

Infections are ⬆️ & we do not have adequate testing. Please get it together @GovKathyHochul @NYCMayor @HealthNYGov @NYCHealthCommr pic.twitter.com/ZP15vG5Pge
— Crystal Hudson (@crystalrhudson) December 16, 2021

Health officials Thursday pledged to put all city-run testing sites on a seven-day-a-week schedule, as well as give out at-home rapid tests for people waiting in line at Test & Trace locations.

When New Yorkers are able to get tests, more and more have found positive results.

Many of them posted their results on TikTok, along with insinuations — whether serious or joking — that the SantaCon boozefest was to blame.

A health department spokesperson told Patch that officials are not tracking widespread coronavirus transmission related to SantaCon, but said the situation could change if reports of positive cases come in.