The post-holiday surge is on and Pennsylvania is recording record numbers of COVID-19 cases.

As of this morning, the department of health is reporting 17,611 cases from Sunday and 5,413 people hospitalized across the state.

The breakdown of new cases statewide over the past few days: Jan. 1, 14,910; Dec. 31, 22,731; Dec. 30, 23,195; Dec. 29, 19,933; Dec. 28, 15,651; Dec. 27, 14,602; and Dec. 26, 6,234.

The breakdown locally over the holiday weekend (Thursday through Saturday):

• Carbon County had 160, 61 and 86, for a total of 307 new cases.

• Lehigh County had 637, 701 and 763 for a total of 2,101 new cases.

• Monroe County had 376, 298 and 349 cases reported for a total of 1,023.

• Northampton County reported 1,004, 684, and 595 new cases for a total of 2,283.

• While many areas are reporting record highs, Schuylkill County fell short of its highest day. On Jan. 1, 2021, 323 new cases were reported. By contrast, 167 cases were logged on Thursday, 167 on Friday and 122 on Saturday, for a total of 456 new cases.

Call for masking

Schools were in session today after the holiday break, with masking optional. Pleasant Valley reported buses were running late because of staffing issues.

However, St. Luke’s University Health Network released a statement on Friday urging districts to rethink their masking policies.

“As the country sets daily records for positive COVID tests, masking can help slow the spread of the virus, including the highly contagious omicron variant that now accounts for a majority of infections. This simple step will help to protect immunocompromised students and staff and help to prevent mass outbreaks and school closures,” the health network said Friday.

“What we are experiencing now is our biggest COVID surge yet,” said Jeffrey Jahre, MD, St. Luke’s Senior Vice President of Medical & Academic Affairs and Section Chief Emeritus of Infectious Diseases. “If there was ever a time for area school boards, administrators and parents to get behind masking, it’s now.”

A mask policy would require a school board vote to change to the health and safety policy.

Jahre said area hospitals are caring for record or near-record numbers of COVID patients. Lines for COVID tests may be hours long.

Individuals experiencing more serious COVID symptoms such as difficulty breathing, sustained high fever, confusion or the inability to maintain adequate hydration should seek medical attention, and for such individuals a visit to a hospital emergency department or urgent care center may be appropriate.

Jahre noted that people who go to a hospital emergency department or urgent care location may experience longer wait times because of the ongoing surge in COVID-19 omicron cases. “We ask people to be respectful to our staff, who are working diligently under very challenging circumstances,” he said.

Dr. Alex Benjamin, Lehigh Valley Health Network chief infection control and prevention officer, urged parents to have their children wear masks as school picks back up in January.

“We’re coming back from the holidays and everyone needs to stay on high alert,” Benjamin said. “We are starting to see more pediatric cases this winter and a slight increase in pediatric hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses. I think parents and kids need to do all the things we have told them before. Wear a mask, practice good hygiene, and stay social distant when possible.”

CDC regulations

As the omicron variant surges across the United States, top federal health officials are looking to add a negative test along with its five-day isolation restrictions for asymptomatic Americans who catch the coronavirus, the White House’s top medical adviser said Sunday.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now considering including the negative test as part of its guidance after getting significant “pushback” on its updated recommendations last week.

Under that Dec. 27 guidance, isolation restrictions for people infected with COVID-19 were shortened from 10 days to five days if they are no longer feeling symptoms or running a fever. After that period, they are asked to spend the following five days wearing a mask when around others.

The guidelines have since received criticism from many health professionals for not specifying a negative antigen test as a requirement for leaving isolation.

“There has been some concern about why we don’t ask people at that five-day period to get tested,” Fauci said. “Looking at it again, there may be an option in that, that testing could be a part of that. And I think we’re going to be hearing more about that in the next day or so from the CDC.”

Symptoms

If you develop a fever and symptoms such as a cough or difficulty breathing, call your doctor for medical advice.

For St. Luke’s patients:

• Download the St. Luke’s app to utilize the video visit feature to connect with a doctor.

For patients without a doctor, call the St. Luke’s Coronavirus hotline at 1-866-STLUKES (785-8537), option 7.

Lehigh Valley Health Network patients should call the Nurse line: 888-402-LVHN (5846), option 4

Fully vaccinated and boosted individuals with mild nonprogressive COVID symptoms such as a runny nose do not need to go to a hospital emergency department or urgent care center.