By Dan Hounsell

COVID-19 vaccination rates continue to rise, and hospitalizations and deaths related to the illness have dropped. Beyond those hopeful signs, more healthcare organizations are breaking ground on a host of expansions, renovations and new construction projects. So when it comes to the 17-month-long pandemic, hospitals are out of the woods, right?

Well, not so fast.

First, healthcare organizations are dealing with the highly contagious delta variant, which now accounts for more than 51 percent of COVID-19 cases in the United Stats, reports NPR. In parts of the United States, the delta strain accounts for more than 80 percent of new infections, including some Midwestern states, such as Missouri, Kansas and Iowa.

Second, health experts are warning the public that there also could be a very difficult flu season ahead, too, according to CNBC. It’s difficult to predict what will happen during the 2021-’22 flu season, but the CDC “is preparing for flu virus circulation to return to pre-pandemic levels, given that the circulation of some respiratory viruses is already returning to pre-pandemic levels.