BEAUMONT, Texas — Southeast Texas doctors say they're already seeing a post-holiday COVID-19 surge.
The Beaumont Public Health Department reported 265 cases Tuesday, and hospitalizations are also slightly on the rise.
43 patients are battling COVID-19 in Jefferson County hospitals as of Tuesday night. The demand for COVID-19 tests and treatments also surging.
Dr. Qamar Afreen with Baptist Hospitals is blaming the surge on timing.
He explained who exactly is in the hospitals now and if current infusion treatments are effective towards the COVID-19 omicron variant.
“I think it was just the timing with the holiday. This Omicron variant was coming and it just hit us during the Christmas holiday,” Afreen said.
He said this new highly contagious variant is the common denominator in the post-holiday surge.
“We had a couple of patients in before Christmas eve and after Christmas, we have almost approached 30 patients just in Baptist Hospital,” Afreen said.
Afreen said he's not only seeing unvaccinated patients.
“We have a good number of patients who are vaccinated in the hospital and one thing common with all of them is that none of them got the booster shot,” Afreen said.
Aside from the COVID-19 surge, he said current infusion treatments are just not the most effective route.
“The infusion currently which we have available, that is not providing or is not totally effective against the Omicron variant,” Afreen said.
Soon, the federal government will be sending new infusion medicines designed to better combat the omicron variant.
“The current the new antibodies [sic], and which is the only one which is known to be effective,” Afreen said.
There are five operating COVID-19 treatment facilities in Southeast Texas. The only infusion center is in Beaumont.
Afreen also said he agrees with the latest change in CDC guidelines regarding the drop in quarantine time down to five days if a person is asymptomatic.
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