December 22, 2021

[Andrea J.]

86 Residents +

35 Non Residents +

19% of the residents tested were positive
From FRESH Aruba Radio via the DVG
Today's numbers . 121 new infections have been detected, 86 of them among residents (local infection rate 21%). 33 people have been recovered . The total number of active cases now stands at 372. On average, there are 51 new cases per day with an average daily local infection rate of 19%. According to the attached state, there are 8 Covid patients in the hospital right now, 1 of which is in ICU and in Colombia there are six more patients in ICU .

[Jayshea]

OMG- not good

[Andrea J.]

New Testing guidelines beginning Dec 27.
See the separate thread

[Aruba4ever]

OMG!!!!!!!! I can't believe these numbers jumped like this. I am going to end up canceling my next trip the way things are going!

[Mike G]

The only good news here is the number of hospitalized patients.

While there are lot's of people getting sick, they are not sick enough to be admitted to the hospital.

[Andrea J.]

which hopefully is proving that the vaccine is doing what it is supposed to be doing
and
that the Omicron variant is maybe not as severe symptoms, but obviously fast spreading

The only good news here is the number of hospitalized patients.

While there are lot's of people getting sick, they are not sick enough to be admitted to the hospital.

[Aruba4ever]

It the 2 day restriction for testing that will drive me away currently- friends are waiting 48 hours plus for tests currently.

[cpjones]

It the 2 day restriction for testing that will drive me away currently- friends are waiting 48 hours plus for tests currently.

Jay... go to a place that has an in house lab... quickest results.

[flpctc]

WoW those numbers jumped Up so quickly. Sad so Sad All around. It is really bad back home in Nh and MA.
I'm in Sarasota FL and we were doing good here and then, bam, FL doubled in a Day.
We are supposed to close on our Aruba property late Feb. but not sure what things will be like by then.
Covid is a Monster!

[Mike G]

which hopefully is proving that the vaccine is doing what it is supposed to be doing
and
that the Omicron variant is maybe not as severe symptoms, but obviously fast spreading

I agree Andrea.

I wonder if the driver of the lower level of hospitalizations is that Omicron seems to be affecting both the vaccinated and unvaccinated and, as you say, the vaccine is doing what is supposed to do for those of us who are vaccinated - it is keeping the vaccinated from getting sick enough to need to be hospitalized - or whether it is simply less severe in general, or is it a combination of both factors? That is really the key question and we should have a better handle on the answer in the coming weeks/months. I am guessing it is the latter, but we shall see.

I will add that in the last week we are hearing about friends now being infected with Covid at a rate that far surpasses anything we have seen in the past. And most of those people are vaccinated.