As San Jose gears up for a grand New Year's Eve celebration, the city finds itself in the midst of its third-highest wave of COVID-19 infections. Despite the ongoing surge and the presence of the virus in the city's wastewater, residents, including event organizers, are forging ahead with plans to ring in 2024 with fervor.

Dwayne Taylor, the founder of San Jose events company Taylor Productions, is no stranger to hosting one of the city's largest New Year's parties. After suspending the event in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, Taylor decided to bring it back this year. However, he made it clear that if there was any indication the party would be a potential hotspot for spreading the virus, he would have canceled it without hesitating.

The decision to proceed with New Year's celebrations comes at a time when San Jose is facing a dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases. The latest wastewater data shows that the level of COVID-19 in the city's wastewater is comparable to the peak of the two previous devastating waves of the pandemic. In fact, the concentration levels are even higher than those recorded during the first winter wave in January 2021 when hospitals had to cancel non-essential procedures to curb the spread.

Surprisingly, despite the concerning numbers, there appears to be a lack of worry among the population. This shift in attitude can be attributed to several factors. Unlike the early days of the pandemic, new infections are generally resulting in milder cases, thanks to the availability of vaccines and effective therapeutics. Although hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are still considerable, they are lower compared to previous surges and are mostly impacting unvaccinated individuals aged 75 and above.

While the reduced risk may provide a sense of reassurance, it is crucial to recognize that COVID-19 remains a deadly disease. California alone has reported over 1,000 deaths related to COVID-19 since October 1. Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 outnumber those caused by the flu, with over 2,800 people hospitalized for COVID-19 compared to just over 1,000 for the flu between December 10-16.

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease doctor at the University of California San Francisco, noted that the highly transmissible nature of the new variant has contributed to the perception that COVID-19 is rampant everywhere. However, current hospitalization rates are significantly lower than during the early stages of the pandemic. The peak of COVID-19 hospitalizations in California occurred in January 2021, with over 22,000 individuals hospitalized. Presently, the number stands at around 1,900.

Aside from COVID-19, there is also the risk of contracting other respiratory viruses such as RSV and the flu. Dr. Chin-Hong emphasized the importance of taking precautions against these viruses as well.

As San Jose prepares to bid farewell to 2023 and welcome the new year, the city must balance the excitement of celebration with the need to remain vigilant against the ongoing COVID-19 surge. With rising cases and the virus' presence in wastewater, authorities and residents alike are urged to exercise caution and continue following public health guidelines to protect themselves and their communities.

San Jose's New Year's Eve celebration serves as a reminder that while progress has been made, the battle against the pandemic is far from over. It highlights the importance of collective responsibility in ensuring the health and safety of all, especially during times of festive gatherings.