Bassett urges vaccinations as Omicron variant looms

By Ted Potrikus • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

President Joe Biden this week called the COVID-19 Omicron variant “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic” as New York State Governor Kathy Hochul redoubled her call for residents across the state to get vaccinated and receive booster shots as a defense against variants existing and potentially yet to come.
In a briefing, though, the Governor said she wants to avoid drastic steps such as those taken at the first outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, citing concern over New Yorkers’ fatigue over anti-COVID policies.

“We’re not talking about shutdowns,” she said. We’re not talking about reinstituting the harsh measures that were needed in a time we didn’t have any defenses. Just get vaccinated. Wear your mask and you won’t have to worry.”

The Governor nonetheless declared a state of emergency upon news of Omicron’s discovery, allowing her Department of Health to limit non-essential, non-urgent procedures in health care facilities that may have limited capacity to protect access to critical-care health services.

Bassett Healthcare System officials say they’re approaching the new situation with case-by-case care, urging patients to keep appointments for screenings, procedures, and regular visits.

“This is not the wholescale shut-off-all-the-lights closing that we had to do in 2020,” said Gabrielle Argo, Interim Manager of Marketing and Communications for Bassett. “We don’t want anyone to put off their screenings or procedures. We’re taking everything on a day-by-day, case-by-case basis.”

“I feel like we can’t say this enough, but we want everyone to get vaccinated,” she said. Bassett Healthcare continues to offer various vaccination and booster clinics throughout their service region.
Governor Hochul’s emergency declaration would require hospitals to postpone non-emergency services were bed availability numbers to fall to a certain level.

“Even without the Executive Order, we’re working every day on contingency and surge planning,” Ms. Argo said. “It’s bed management and patient capacity across our entire system. We’re collaborating every day with the state and with hospitals all around us to make sure that we’re always prepared.”
“We’re being thoughtful and collaborative about this situation every single day,” she said. “Patients should stay in touch with their healthcare providers if they have questions.”

Ms. Argo noted that many of the smaller hospitals across the Bassett system generally provide outpatient services, meaning the emergency declaration as it currently stands would have little impact on such procedures.

“We have teams of people going over the details of those Executive Orders and the Department of Health guidance memos every time they come out,” she said.

“In the meantime,” she said, echoing Governor Hochul, “just get vaccinated and wear your mask.”

In her November 29 briefing, Governor Hochul said the Omicron variant was inevitable in New York, but that the state remains on high alert.

“Omicron is just across the bridge in Ontario,” she said late Monday. “It’s not a question of if it comes to New York, but when.”

At press time, the Governor had not issued a statewide mask mandate beyond her recommendation that New Yorkers return to mask vigilance. Officials in the state’s more populous counties reportedly are considering reinstatement of mask mandates or enhanced recommendations; New York City took the step to “strongly recommend” masks in all public indoor spaces, regardless of a person’s vaccination status.