A recent study shows that COVID-19 hospitalization numbers in the United States could be highly exaggerated, as almost half of hospitalized patients only displayed “mild” symptoms, suggesting that they were likely admitted due to reasons unrelated to COVID-19.
“With widespread vaccination, the current definition of COVID-19 hospitalizations includes progressively more mild or incidental diagnoses, for example, cases identified prior to surgery or prior to discharge, rather than hospitalizations due to severe COVID-19,” the study reads.
“In a pediatric population, 41 percent of reported admissions associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection were for reasons other than COVID-19, rates similar to those found when the simple definition of moderate to severe disease was applied in our cohort,” the study of the older population continues, citing two previous studies.
The new study’s authors analyzed electronic records for more than 47,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country. Hospitalized patients who required oxygen supplementation or had blood oxygen levels below 94 percent would be classified as having moderate to severe disease. Others were considered mild or asymptomatic.
The study suggested that the CDC should consider updating the definition of COVID-19 hospitalizations so as to differentiate hospitalizations “caused by” COVID-19 from hospitalizations “associated with” COVID-19.
The study also reported that the availability of COVID-19 vaccines has helped reduce the proportion of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 hospitalizations. Meanwhile, the proportion of COVID-19 infections has been shifting to be dominated by the Delta strain.
CDC officials didn’t immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.