(Photo by Zachary Meseck)

NORWICH – Chenango County’s healthcare centers are actively working to protect at risk populations from the coronavirus, and have asked that everyone follow direction from the federal and state government.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, individuals who are at risk of severe illness related to coronavirus include those who are older adults, with risk increasing by age, and people who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease.

Norwich Rehabilitation and Nursing Administrator Edith B. Revoir said that with those risk factors in mind, her facility enacted an aggressive plan to keep the Norwich Rehabilitation Facility safe against the coronavirus weeks before it reached New York State.

“Norwich Rehabilitation and Nursing Center is acting now and has implemented our infection prevention and control policies and procedures, as this is key to preventing coronavirus COVID-19 and other common viruses,” said Revoir. “We are ensuring that our staff and residents are practicing proper hand hygiene.”

“We have a trained infection preventionist who is taking the lead on our facility’s risk assessment for this and other infections.”

Revoir said it's critical that people follow direction from the federal and state government, and that individuals who are sick must stay home to help slow the spread of the virus.

“Employees who are sick must stay home and that all non-essential personnel be restricted from entering our facility for the time being,” she said. “Every staff member is being screened, prior to every shift they work in the facility, through a focused questionnaire and temperature taking.”

“We are in very close communication with local and state health officials to ensure we are taking the appropriate steps.”

She added that the facility is in close communication with local and state health officials to ensure that it's taking the appropriate steps to keep people safe, and that it has developed a COVID-19 task force that meets daily regarding the progress of the virus in the towns and hospitals that are close to it.

UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital has also put measures in place to keep its residents safe and to combat the coronavirus.

“UHS Chenango Memorial is restricting visitors at the hospital and all of its off-site locations,” said UHS Director of Fundraising and Business Development Melissa Stagnaro. “Under the new policy, all patients and visitors will be screened upon arrival.”

President and CEO at UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital Dr. Drake Lamen said the safety of the hospital’s patients, visitors and staff is always their top priority, and the intent of these precautions is to limit contact that may put people at unnecessary risk, while at the same time maintaining high-quality care and service.

“Given that we serve populations at high risk for COVID-19, we believe these measures are prudent at this time,” said Lamen.