Log in Subscribe

Cuomo announces winter COVID plan

Isabel Braverman - Staff Writer
Posted 12/3/20

NEW YORK — Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced New York's plan for combating COVID-19 this winter.

The plan consists of five targeted strategies to manage and mitigate the spread of the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Cuomo announces winter COVID plan

Posted

NEW YORK — Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced New York's plan for combating COVID-19 this winter.

The plan consists of five targeted strategies to manage and mitigate the spread of the virus.

The five strategies include: manage hospital capacity to enhance and equalize care; increase and balance testing resources and availability; keep schools open safely; prevent viral spread from small gatherings; and operationalize an equitable and safe vaccination program.

Over the past week, Cuomo and the state's COVID Task Force has worked in consultation with global public health experts, local governments and other stakeholders to prepare for an expected increase in COVID cases and hospitalizations.

"While the holiday season often brings joy to many, the increase in social activity and mobility will also bring an increase of viral transmission. We understand the cause and effect, and the effect is dramatic," Governor Cuomo said.

The plan initiates emergency hospital measures to prepare the state's hospital system for an expected surge in new admissions over the upcoming weeks.

Some of the measures include increasing hospital bed capacity and identifying areas with high infection rates.

“We support the governor's thinking on this,” said Jonathan Schiller, CEO of Garnet Health Medical Center (formerly Catskill Regional Medical Center). “And there's been so much advancement in the treatment of COVID patients that these are additional factors we do believe should be taken into consideration.”

As of Thursday morning, Garnet Health Medical Center - Catskills had seven patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

Schiller said this is more than a 50 percent increase from where they were a week and a half ago, and the highest number since June.

He said they don't believe the higher number is related to Thanksgiving, as it's too early, but it could be from pre-Thanksgiving activity such as students coming home from college.

“We do anticipate seeing the trend increase over the next two weeks as those results of Thanksgiving gatherings come to us,” Schiller remarked.

Positive cases of the virus have been increasing in the county over the past several weeks, with Sullivan County Public Health Services releasing several alerts of possible exposures.

According to the county there are currently 137 active cases, a stark increase over the summer months.

“What we're seeing is that a higher community infection rate doesn't necessarily correlate one to one to a higher hospitalization rate,” Schiller said. “Although they're definitely correlated, it's a looser correlation than it used to be.”

The hospital implemented a “surge and flex plan” at the beginning of the pandemic and has made improvements to it based on things they learned since then, Schiller says.

“Our doctors, nurses and staff are so committed, and hopefully our community did the right thing and we won't have numbers like we did before,” he said.

He reminded the community to continue wearing a mask and practice social distancing to help prevent the spread.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here