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Hospitals across Missouri are asking staff members and administrators to take on additional duties to help deal with the current surge in COVID-19 patients. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that hospital employees are being asked to pick up shifts helping nurses by doing things like grabbing supplies or answering phones, or by filling absences in areas such housekeeping and patient transport. (1/30)

As Alaska once again reports the highest COVID-19 case rate in the nation, the highly contagious omicron variant is continuing to snarl staffing at health care facilities that have had to adapt to the ups and downs of the pandemic. The state on Friday reported 5,897 cases of COVID-19 over the previous two days amid rising hospitalization numbers. Alaska’s seven-day case rate of 2,360.4 cases per 100,000 is higher than any other U.S. state, according to a CDC tracker. (Berman, 1/28)

Omicron might loosen its grip on Mississippi in the next few weeks, health officials predicted Friday. "We’re gonna continue to report out a lot of cases, but I really feel like we’re turning the corner,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said. “We’ll start trending down, I think, probably in the next couple of weeks." Byers' optimism is in part driven by the numbers: decreased testing demand and a declining positivity rate. (Haselhorst, 1/28)

Three military medical teams will be coming to Oklahoma City by early February to support hospitals struggling during the omicron COVID-19 surge, a Health Department spokeswoman confirmed Friday. One Army medical team will work with OU Medical Center, and two Air Force medical teams will work with Integris Health in Oklahoma City, spokeswoman Erica Rankin-Riley said in an email. "All three teams should be in the state by early February," she said. Details about exactly when and how many military members will be supporting the hospitals weren't available Friday. (Branham, 1/28)

The numbers tell a story. But, from what the critical care doctors and nurses at Braselton’s Northeast Georgia Medical Center can see, the public isn’t listening. Since the omicron variant came roaring onto the pandemic scene two months ago, the state has set records for new infections. While the variant appears to cause a more mild illness in most people than previous strains, especially among those who are vaccinated, the sheer numbers are staggering. Even though a smaller percentage of people are getting critically ill, it’s enough to overwhelm intensive care units. (Oliviero, 1/29)

KHN: In California Nursing Homes, Omicron Is Bad, But So Is The Isolation

Dina Halperin had been cooped up alone for three weeks in her nursing home room after her two unvaccinated roommates were moved out at the onset of the omicron surge. “I’m frustrated,” she said, “and so many of the nursing staff are burned out or just plain tired.” The situation wasn’t terrifying, as it was in September 2020, when disease swept through the Victorian Post Acute facility in San Francisco and Halperin, a 63-year-old former English as a Second Language teacher, became severely ill with covid. She spent 10 days in the hospital and required supplemental oxygen. Since the pandemic began, 14 residents of the nursing home have died of covid, according to state figures. (Marsa, 1/31)

The decline in the daily numbers comes as numerous family gatherings and community events are scheduled to mark the Lunar New Year this coming week. And with their NFC Championship win over the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, the L.A. Rams earned a trip to the Super Bowl on Feb. 13 in Inglewood. “For residents who are at high risk, including those older, immunocompromised, or with underlying health conditions, gatherings can be especially risky given the still high rates of transmission,” Barbara Ferrer, the county public health director, said in a statement. (Lin II, 1/30)

A state appeals court on Thursday said a family did not have a “legal right” to force Mayo Clinic Jacksonville to administer the controversial drug ivermectin to try to keep alive a COVID-19 patient who was on a ventilator. A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal released a 12-page opinion that detailed reasons that it upheld a decision by a Duval County circuit judge to reject efforts by the wife and son of patient Daniel Pisano to spur the hospital to use the drug. The Tallahassee-based appeals court made the decision Jan. 14 but did not explain its reasons until Thursday. Jacksonville news organizations reported this week that Pisano, 71, has died. (Saunders, 1/28)

Rep. Colin Allred (D-Tex.) announced Sunday he has tested positive for COVID-19 in a breakthrough case after returning from congressional trip to Ukraine. Allred was among 10 House members who recently met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials during two days of meetings amid the mounting tension between Ukraine and Russia. (Oshin, 1/30)