Limits on visitors are being renewed by the Brooks-TLC Hospital System in Dunkirk starting today.

In a news release issued Tuesday, the health-care facilility announced the return of early pandemic restrictions in visitation due to a direct result of increases in volume, the new wave of COVID in Chautauqua County, and loss of staff due to the vaccine mandate.

“It’s a perfect storm,” said Julie Morton, interim chief nursing officer and compliance officer at Brooks-TLC. “We have no way of knowing who among our visitors is vaccinated and who is not. For the safety of our patients and our staff, we felt it necessary to restrict visitation, effective Wednesday, Sept. 29 and until further notice.”

Last week, Brooks-TLC announced 51 of 573 workers had not received a vaccine. Other county care centers were facing the same issues. On Monday, Heritage Ministries said 9% of it staff had not had a first dose. At UPMC Chautauqua, at least nearly 30 employees had been suspended for the time being.

Those who can visit during this time at Brooks-TLC include cases with:

¯ Imminent end-of-life.

¯ Labor and delivery with one support person permitted throughout the labor process, delivery and post-partum period.

¯ Pediatric patients, patients with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities and patients with cognitive impairments, may designate one support person to remain with them through their hospitalization.

As has become best practice, approved visitors will be screened upon entrance and required to wear a mask over both the mouth and nose through the duration of their visit.

Overall, New York state Gov. Kathy Hochul was reporting late Monday the number of health-care workers receiving a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine had increased dramatically over the last month.

In a news release, the governor offered these numbers:

¯ The percentage of nursing home staff receiving at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose increased to 92% as of Monday evening, up from 70% on Aug. 15 before the vaccine mandate was announced.

¯ The percentage of adult care facilities staff receiving at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose increased to 89% as of Monday evening, up from 76% on Aug. 15 before the vaccine mandate was announced.

¯ The percentage of hospital staff fully vaccinated is 84% as of Sept. 22, up from 77% on Aug. 10 before the vaccine mandate was announced. Preliminary self-reported data shows that hospital staff receiving at least one dose of vaccine is 92% as of Monday evening.

Hochul also signed an executive order to alleviate potential staffing shortages in hospitals and other health care facilities statewide. The executive order significantly expands the eligible health care workforce and allows additional health care workers to administer COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.