Fredonia Mayor Doug Essek was diagnosed with COVID-19 last week, but is doing better.

“My whole family got it,” Essek told the OBSERVER. “They’re all doing well, most were asymptomatic.”

Essek ended up at the hospital one night, but luckily didn’t have to stay.

“I’m doing better than I was, but this is terrible,” Essek added.

“I’m off quarantine and hopefully I’ll get back to some normalcy soon,” Essek stated. “I’m slowly getting there.”

Hospitalizations in Chautauqua County saw a slight uptick on Tuesday as health officials revealed more detailed plans about local vaccination distribution.

The county Department of Health announced that 59 new cases of the novel coronavirus were confirmed on Monday and that 25 are now hospitalized with the virus — an net increase of two since the weekend.

Brooks Memorial Hospital officials told the OBSERVER and The Post-Journal that eight patients were battling COVID-19 last week including two that were in the ICU. Brian Durniok, president of UPMC Chautauqua, the largest provider in the county, did not disclose how many patients were hospitalized with the virus when asked on Tuesday.

“Depending on the patient’s overall health, some patients that are COVID positive are cared for in the ICU setting,” Durniok said in a statement. “Others that are COVID positive have their care managed in a general medical unit. Patients are treated in the setting that is most appropriate for their overall health rather as opposed to being COVID positive. This provides us with the ability to have capacity in the ICU for those patients that need the highest level of care.”

Eight cases have recovered, leaving the county with 433 active cases.

Of the new cases, 13 involve people living in the Jamestown zip code; 11 are in Dunkirk; eight in Lakewood; and two in Fredonia. Several municipalities also reported one or two new cases.

To date, there have been 2,536 confirmed cases of the virus. In the last seven days there have been 404 new cases recorded, which breaks down to about 57 new cases each day.

Meanwhile, the county Department of Health indicated that vaccine distribution phases will follow the state’s priority guidelines.

“Long gone are the days when only a handful of cases were reported to us,” said Christine Schuyler, county public health director. “The emergency approval of a COVID-19 vaccine has instilled hope in many who desperately need to see a light at the end of this pandemic tunnel.”

A county press release noted that the state Department of Health is “designing and managing all aspects of the vaccine administration program,” but noted that the “Chautauqua County Health Department has submitted a vaccine plan to the state as is required of all local health departments.”

That plan, which continues to be in draft format due to evolving state and federal plans, lists priority populations as:

PHASE 1:

¯ Healthcare workers and Emergency Medical Services personnel in patient care settings

¯ Long-term care facility workers and patients

PHASE 2

¯ First responders (fire, police, National Guard)

¯ Teachers/school staff

¯ Child care providers

¯ Public health workers

¯ Essential frontline workers who regularly interact with the public (pharmacists, grocery store workers, transit employees, etc.) or maintain critical infrastructure

¯ Other long-term care facility patients and those living in congregate settings

¯ Individuals at high risk due to comorbidities and health conditions

PHASE 3

¯ Individuals over 65

¯ Individuals under 65 with high-risk comorbidities and health conditions

PHASE 4

¯ All other essential workers

PHASE 5

¯ Healthy adults and children

To reach each priority population, community vaccination efforts will include “points of dispensing,” known as PODS with clinics located at multiple areas throughout the county.

“The PODS would be conducted in collaboration with other local healthcare providers,” the release noted. “Persons in each phase will be notified through press releases, social media, and community-based organizations who work with them. More information will be released as it becomes available.”

“My understanding from state health officials is that the vaccine will be distributed through state designated regional hubs with a large health system in the lead,” Schuyler said in the release. “We have not been notified of a specific timeline for when we, as a local health department, will receive any vaccine but expect that it could be before the year’s end to start with vaccination of emergency medical personnel as the priority after hospitals and nursing homes.”

Schuyler also noted that an executive order by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which expanded the professions that can vaccinate New Yorkers against COVID-19 to include pharmacists, paramedics, EMTs and dentists, “is essential to having enough staff to vaccinate the broader population, which could be late winter or early spring.”

The county noted that the Pfizer-made vaccine comes with unique storage and distribution challenges as it must be kept at minus 94-degrees Fahrenheit. The vaccine is shipped in dry ice and then must be kept in super cold freezers. The Pfizer vaccine is two doses, given 21 days apart. The Moderna-made vaccine, once approved, does not have extreme temperature requirements for storage and has a 30 day shelf life. It also requires two doses, given 28 days apart.

“Health officials are eager to get started,” the release said. “People are sick and health care systems and public health workers are overwhelmed.”

“While we can see a light at the end of the tunnel, we still have a long way to go,” Schuyler added. “It’s critically important for people to continue to protect themselves and each other. Please wear your mask, social distance, wash your hands, and avoid groups.”

UPMC Chautauqua officials said on Monday that the Jamestown-based hospital is expected to receive 900 doses of the Moderna-manufactured vaccine next week. A spokesperson for Westfield Memorial Hospital also confirmed that a vaccine shipment is expected early next week.

In neighboring Cattaraugus County, 47 new cases were reported Monday bringing the total to 1,801. There are currently 616 active cases in addition to 33 people in the hospital, 33 COVID-related deaths and a seven-day positivity rate of 8%.

Eric Tichy and John D’Agostino contributed to this report.