Hospitals of Upper Allegheny Health System report they are well-prepared to handle COVID-19 patients, when and if the virus makes its way to McKean and Cattaraugus, N.Y., counties.
As of Tuesday afternoon, there were zero confirmed cases in either county.
Officials with UAHS, parent company for Bradford Regional Medical Center and Olean (N.Y.) General Hospital, held a media call Tuesday afternoon to provide the local status in the coronavirus pandemic.
While there are no known cases in either county, “We’re operating under the assumption that there is a positive. We have to,” said Jeff Zewe, president and CEO of UAHS.
The virus is inching closer, if it’s not here yet.
Potter County, which sits to the east of McKean, has one positive case, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, while Allegany County, N.Y., which borders the northeast corner of McKean, had seven positive cases, according to the New York State Department of Health.
No other counties bordering McKean have confirmed cases as of Tuesday afternoon.
With two cases just confirmed in Chautauqua County — which sits to the west of Cattaraugus — that leaves Cattaraugus as the only county in western New York with no confirmed cases, said Dr. William Mills, senior vice president of quality and professional affairs.
“There’s no doubt that these times have been very challenging,” said Zewe, who went on to share his appreciation of the staff and front-line people at the hospitals for their efforts in preparing for the virus.
Zewe said the response necessary has slowed to a manageable level this week compared to last. He compared it to driving in a 40 mph zone: Last week, he said, was like driving 100 mph, but this week, it’s slowed to 50 mph.
That’s been, in part, due to collaboration of agencies and community groups with the hospitals.
“That’s been very helpful,” he said.
Zewe said the hospitals are “in very good shape” with supplies.
He noted that several community members have reached out to donate supplies, such as many who are making masks for medical care providers.
Also, Zewe said UAHS has developed a surge plan in the event the local area gets a surge of cases in a short period of time. The hospitals are running at about 50% occupancy, but if that reaches 100%, they have been working on a plan that could give them about 50% more beds.
Bradford Regional Medical Center, which has a 106-bed license, has space on the whole fourth floor if they need to implement its surge plan. At Olean General, there are about 150 beds with a surge plan that includes about 75 additional beds.
They feel they are in good shape for ventilators, too. UAHS anticipates by today having use of up to 30. They have a daily average usage of four.
There is one supply UAHS is short on: tests for COVID-19.
Mills said they are still awaiting testing supplies they’ve ordered, and they ask every day about the status of them.
Some testing has been done of local residents.
As of Monday in Cattaraugus County, there were 64 negative tests and about 10 or so tests for which the results are still pending. All the tests taken in McKean County have been negative, but Mills did not provide a number for how many were tested.
He said testing still goes through the Department of Health.
“We’re not seeing sick patients coming to our emergency room,” Zewe added, explaining that is a “good barometer in itself” to determine the health of local residents. “Those who feel a little sicker come to the hospital.”
Mills said maintenance is “working very diligently on both sides of the border” preparing for an influx of patients, too.
In addition to finding more beds, negative pressure rooms are being set up in which the room pressure is less than the hallway pressure. This is to keep the microbes that cause disease from getting out of those rooms.
A couple other changes are happening, too.
The hospitals are implementing telehealth measures and looking to do some doctor’s office visits securely on Skype.
BRMC will close gym use for the Upbeat program — part of the SMART Rehabilitative Services — starting today, as so many people go there to use the gymnasium facilities. Gyms have been ordered to close by Gov. Tom Wolf. SMART’s outpatient rehab services remain open.
Mills reminded residents we are still in the COVID-19 crisis, so temporary measures such as the limiting of visitors are still in place. The hospital are now screening people as they walk through the door for fever and other symptoms.
“No one thinks this virus is done yet,” Mills cautioned.
As for treatment, “We know we don’t really have medicines that kill viruses,” said Mills. However, he noted there is at least one medicine that is in a study/trial, as well as trial vaccines. No one knows when these might be available.
Mills brought up the danger of people trying home remedies to prevent or cure COVID-19 that they found on the internet. He added that a couple of people have died from these asserted remedies.
Mills is hopeful the area can delay and lessen the intensity of how this area is struck by the virus. While there are some challenges to being a rural area, there are benefits, too, such as being an easier area to practice social distancing, he noted.
