Mayo experts think COVID has yet to peak in Minnesota

We thought we were reaching the end of the COVID-19 tunnel a few months ago, and then variants caused higher spikes than before. What could happen next?

Curtis Storlie, a data scientist at Mayo in Rochester, Minn., said Omicron may peak in Minnesota in the next week or two.

“After that, there’ll be an abrupt decline in cases for several weeks before we’re back down to case levels that are I guess what we would kind of consider normal,” Storlie said.

Because of widespread vaccination, Storlie added that immunity is increasing, so new cases may be low for the near future. He added, however, that it’s up to the public keep wearing masks and taking precautions to prevent the spread.

Dr. Conor Loftus, the chair of outpatient practice at Mayo, asks people to take precautions to avoid getting sick.

“ICU is very busy, the hospital overall is very busy,” Loftus said. “The majority of patients that are hospitalized with serious illness related to COVID unfortunately are unvaccinated, so coming back to safety and the tools we have at hand, vaccination and boosters are key.”

Loftus added that it may take some time for COVID levels to go down enough that society can go back to being “maskless.”