ONEONTA—A.O. Fox Hospital and Bassett Healthcare Network announced on Tuesday, February 28 that FoxCare Fitness in Oneonta will be closing permanently as of June 1.
Hospital and network leadership reached the decision following an extended period of declining membership and operational challenges, many of which are directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“FoxCare Fitness, like many other gym facilities, has experienced significant business impacts as a result of the pandemic,” said Ryan Scott, manager of FoxCare Fitness. “A prolonged facility closure during the pandemic, unprecedented staffing challenges, and diminished membership have prevented us from operating at full capacity for nearly three years. Our membership base remains less than 50 percent of what it was prior to COVID-19.”
The New York State Department of Health on Monday (December 20) added Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown to its list of health care facilities with “minimal capacity,” forcing a temporary halt to elective surgeries and procedures for at least two weeks beginning later this week.
Under a November Executive Order from Governor Kathy Hochul, the state bars facilities with a staffed bed capacity of 10 percent or less from performing certain elective procedures and surgeries. Certain electives remain allowed, including those relating to cancer and diagnostic reviews, neurosurgery, intractable pain, trauma, cardiac with symptoms, and others.
Bassett Healthcare announced today that A.O. Fox hospital in Oneonta was placed on a list of hospitals with 90% occupancy and, as a result, will be delaying non-essential procedures for two weeks
This move stems from an executive order enacted by the New York State Department of Health.
Patients who are affected will be notified. Urgent procedures such as cancer treatment, trauma, and heart surgery will continue to be performed.
A three-car collision in Oneonta closed West St. at Center St. Friday morning, Oct. 1, 2021. Two cars traveling up West St. near Hartwick College were hit by a car coming downhill at about 7:30 am, according to Oneonta Police on the scene. (Mike Forster Rothbart/AllOtsego.com)
ONEONTA — A three-car accident on West Street near Hartwick College closed down the road this morning on Friday, Oct. 1.
The unidentified driver, a 65-year-old man, made a wide turn on West Street going downhill and hit two cars, causing his car to roll over, according to the Oneonta Police Department.
An unidentified protester demonstrates against vaccination mandates at Bassett Healthcare Network in Cooperstown on Tuesday, Sept. 21. (Kevin Limiti/AllOtsego.com)
Anti-mask and anti-vaccine protesters staged two rallies in Otsego County in the past week, bringing their message to Bassett Healthcare and others.
Hundreds of protesters, along with Assemblyman John Salka, R-Brookfield, marched to A.O. Fox Hospital and through Main Street in Oneonta on Friday, Sept. 17.
Protesters also marched Tuesday, Sept. 21, in Cooperstown, from the Otsego County Courthouse to Bassett Medical Center.
ONEONTA — Hundreds of protesters, along with Assemblyman John Salka, R-Brookfield, marched to A.O. Fox Hospital and through Main Street Friday, Sept. 17, to protest the vaccine mandate put in place for healthcare workers.
The protesters chanted slogans such as “stop the mandate” as they walked through downtown Oneonta towards the hospital. There were signs that said “unmask our children” and “protect our liberties.”
The vaccine mandate from Bassett Healthcare was in response to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s mandate that all healthcare workers should be vaccinated.
Prior to the march, the protesters rallied at Damaschke Field.
“I’m here to support the medical professionals and support their right to not have an injection they’re not confident,” Salka told AllOtsego.com. “Last year they were heroes, this year they’re zeroes.”
