Health experts urge caution ahead of New Year’s Eve as COVID-19 cases soar

COVID-19 hospitalizations are soaring statewide – this is all as health leaders warn of another surge following New Year's Eve celebrations.

The number of hospitalizations have increased 55% in last seven days on Long Island. Meanwhile, Nassau's positivity rate jumped to 24%, while Suffolk's stands at 24.7%.

Health experts say you should be thinking twice before heading out to celebrate.

“We could be looking at a very grim beginning to January,” says Erin Bromage, professor of immunology at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth.

With the highly transmissible Omicron variant, the number of new daily COVID-19 cases is the highest it has ever been.

Heading into 2022, health experts are worried about people who have not been vaccinated, especially small children who do not qualify.

"There are still a lot of children under the age of 5 who aren't yet eligible to be vaccinated. We can do our part by getting vaccinated and do all the things we need to help keep them safe,” says Lee Savio Beers, president of American Academy of Pediatrics.

Meanwhile, concerns are growing about keeping kids in school.

"It's critical we do what we can. In some places, a short term closure may be necessary in order to safely return students back and have adequate staffing," says Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education.

The health care system is also bearing the brunt of the pandemic.

"If our hospital systems go down because so many are out with COVID-19 and hospitals are seeing this all over the country-- then there's going to be no one there to care for you,” says Dr. Jonathan Reiner, professor of medicine and surgery at GWU.