A professor at UAB is predicting that, by mid-September, Alabama’s delta surge could peak with approximately 5,000 hospitalizations nearly doubling the current number of COVID patients

Dr. Suzanne Judd, in July, estimated that the Delta surge would come quicker – and it would be bigger – stating there would possibly be some 7,800 hospitalizations by the end of July.  Judd is a Professor of Public Health at UAB.

ICU beds in many Alabama hospitals are already full and hospitalizations are nearing last winter’s peak of 3,084.  As of Wednesday, there had been a total of 2,723 COVID-19 hospitalizations – overwhelming the state’s hospitals.

Other experts are predicting similar numbers however projecting the path of Delta is hard to do, because no one can be sure how many people will wear masks, and/or, be actively attempting to protect themselves through social distancing,

Dr. Judd said that about 40% of Alabamians could well contract COVID-19, before the end of September, and she encourages everyone to be vaccinated against the disease.

(AL.COM/www.al.com)