BUFFALO, N.Y. — There is new data behind the rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations in Erie County and across Western New York.
Hospital admissions have now surpassed numbers seen during the first wave, and they are approaching what we saw during the second wave.
"We're being inundated daily our waiting rooms are very full," said Karie Czechowicz, a registered nurse at Buffalo General.
"It's very concerning because we're not getting a break from it so like you said a month ago we were going down and now we're going right back up again," said Betty Thompson, a patient care assistant at Millard Fillmore Suburban.
They're reacting to yet another rise in COVID hospitalizations, and the beginning of a third wave in Western New York.
"We need more support, we need more staff support at the bed side we need more support staff in every department," Czechowicz said.
According to state hospitalization data, as of Monday, there were 326 people hospitalized in Western New York with COVID-19, the highest that number has been since mid-February, when the region was coming down from its second surge.
From hospital staff to paramedics, they are feeling the impact.
"In the wintertime, we had a peak of about 100, almost a high for like COVID-type symptom calls that we could respond to, and now it feels we are hitting wave three because we had a peak over the weekend so far of 73 calls," said Scott Karaszewski, the chief EMS officer for AMR Northeast Region.
"With this much testing there is going out there, some of the patients even advise the providers and the dispatchers that they are COVID positive."
Dr. Brian Murray, Erie County Medical Center’s chief medical officer believes Western New York is entering the third wave. Last week, we asked him about the causes that have led to that.
"One is unquestionably the relaxation of social distancing in general," Dr. Murray said. "There is no question that the second major factor is the emergence of these newer variants."
Many frontline workers, who recognize there's COVID fatigue and are tired themselves, hope people get vaccinated.
"It's really great to have people get the vaccine, wash your hands, keep wearing your masks, keep social distancing. I know the community is tired to doing it, and I can tell you us nurses on J-10, J-11, and throughout the hospital also are just as sick of it as well," said Jessica Sanna, a registered nurse at Oishei Children’s Hospital.
The Erie County Health Department says COVID cases continue to be seen primarily in those who are 20 to 39 years old. From paramedics at AMR to some of the hospital workers we heard from, they're seeing younger people getting sick this time around.
"Obviously, to see a spike kind of rise up to that number, it could possibly correlate to spring break and everything like that family gatherings," Karaszewski said.