Hospitals increasingly are worried that a growing number of COVID-19 cases in several states will push them beyond their breaking point, even before the omicron strain really hits U.S. shores hard. ADVERTISEMENTSome public health experts worry that omicron could only make things worse, even in an optimistic scenario where the new variant doesn’t lead to deadly cases. New Hampshire and Maine officials also announced the National Guard’s deployment last week to assist with its overwhelmed hospitals. It’s unclear if and how the omicron strain could affect the demand on hospitals. Preliminary data suggests that the omicron strain may cause less severe illness but could be more transmissible than the delta strain.
