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COVID uptick adds to hospital turbulence

A syringes and vials of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic at the Keystone First Wellness Center in Chester, Pa., Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Christine Schuyler, Chautauqua County public health director, has been front and center since the pandemic began in March 2020. In her most recent message that comes 10 days before Christmas and is posted to the COVID-19 dashboard, she is brief and to the point.

“This holiday season, please don’t give the gifts that keep on giving: the germs that cause COVID-19 and influenza,” Schuyler says in a video while donning a Santa hat and offering well wishes. “Get vaccinated, including boosters. Wear a mask in indoor public spaces. Wash your hands frequently. Stay home if you don’t feel well.”

Those working in health care, many who have been pushed to the limit over the past 21 months, would likely agree. Individuals have every right to not take the virus seriously. But in doing so, they are putting neighbors and friends at risk.

Statistics released Wednesday by the county Health Department signaled both improvement and alarms. From Dec. 5 to 11, there were 726 new cases — down from 827 the previous week, 11 additional deaths and a seven-day positivity rate of 10.2% with 41 hospitalized.

Over the last year, the statistics are an even grimmer picture of life with COVID — even after vaccinations. Since Dec. 17, 2020, there have been 14,447 cases of the virus reported in Chautauqua County, reaching the current total of 17,195 — about 13.5% of the population. There also have been 244 total deaths attributed to the illness, with 219 of those coming in the last year.

Hospitals are nearly bursting at the seams after seeing a bit of a respite during the warmer months. According to numbers provided by the state Health Department through Sunday, UPMC Chautauqua reported all 68 staffed beds were filled, including six in intensive care. Brooks-TLC Health System noted 31 of 35 beds were filled as well as the seven in intensive care. Smaller Westfield Memorial, with six beds, had five patients as of Sunday.

Neighboring Warren County, Pa., which has a population of 39,000, has seen about one-third of the total virus cases that have been reported here at 5,400, touching about 14% of the residents. Over the past week, its health care system was dealing with COVID-19 and another stress: the possibility of 114 staff members going on strike. After a notice for the work stoppage was filed over the weekend, both the administration and union reached a tentative deal that was approved Wednesday.

“The contract we negotiated is a step in the right direction for our patients’ well being,” said Charlene Fohrd, R.N., an eight-year Warren General Hospital veteran and co-president of the Warren General Hospital Professional Employees Association, on behalf of the entire Bargaining Committee. “We were able to build a framework for safer staffing and a better plan for staff recruitment and retention. Our first concern is always our patients and we’re grateful to the community for supporting us in this effort.”

Warren General has one thing going for it the two New York state hospital do not: a surplus of more than $6 million when it comes to operations in 2019. While the 990 Internal Revenue Service documents detail troubling years for the major two health care facilities in Chautauqua County, Warren General has seen tremendous stability while being overseen by Rick Allen, chief executive officer.

For the record, Brooks-TLC recorded a deficit of $12.5 million — even after more than $15 million in New York state subsidies — while UPMC Chautauqua noted being in the red by $25.8 million during that same year. To be fair, the IRS documents are a snapshot of one year of operations. But they are the cold, hard numbers — all recorded before the virus was ravaging our world.

Those documents prove health care was a volatile sector before COVID-19. It has become even more of a challenge in this environment, especially for those on the front lines whose careers have revolved around care.

¯ ¯ ¯

Happy holidays.

John D’Agostino is the editor of the OBSERVER, The Post-Journal and Times Observer in Warren, Pa. Send comments to jdagostino@observertoday.com or call 716-366-3000, ext. 253.

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