ASHLAND — Less than 1 percent of employee cases of COVID-19 within the University Hospitals Healthcare System have been attributed to work exposure, according communications and development manager Kathy Witmer.
Through contact tracing, the hospital system has found very few cases of COVID-19 in its staff are work-related, which Witmer attributes to proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
“This means our appropriate use of PPE is working to protect our caregivers, patients and visitors,” she said.
Though PPE was in short supply early into the pandemic, Witmer says, University Hospitals have been able to manage and maintain adequate PPE.
UH has implemented “universal masking guidelines,” meaning all who enter its facilities — patients, employees and visitors — must wear isolation masks. Visitors who cannot or will not wear a mask at all times will not be allowed to enter or remain in any UH facility, according to the UH’s visitor guidelines.
Additionally, all visitors are screened. To pass visitor screening at all facilities you must: Have temperature screen of less than 100.0 degrees and be free of flu-like symptoms — no cough, no shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain or sore throat.
“As the holidays approach, we’d like to remind everyone that masking is a scientifically proven way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect our patients and caregivers. Along with physical distancing and hand hygiene, wearing a mask is central to controlling the pandemic,” Witmer said.
For two consecutive weeks, Ashland County has been designated “red” in the state’s color-coded Public Health Advisory System. The Ashland County Health department reported Wednesday 181 active cases — bringing the cumulative total to 844 cases in Ashland County residents. Twenty-two Ashland residents have died from COVID-19 specifically. Three additional deaths are expected to be recorded when the health department receives death certificates.
Seven people are currently hospitalized at University Hospitals. A total of 415 Ashland County residents are being monitored and quarantined to prevent the spread of the virus.
If a surge would occur, Ashland’s Samaritan Medical Center has made plans to “accommodate a 300 percent increase in COVID positive patients,” according to Witmer. These plans were drafted in March or April when the pandemic began.
“University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center remains vigilant and committed to the health, wellness and safety of our patients, caregivers, and the community. While the increasing numbers of COVID and the return to Red level are concerning, throughout this pandemic, Samaritan has been focused on preparing for and responding to the COVID crisis. We continue to follow those protocols and procedures and they have served University Hospitals and the community extremely well,” said President Todd Harford.
“University Hospitals has demonstrated the strength of being a health system able to leverage extensive resources and deep expertise in clinical and nonclinical disciplines. Our remarkable achievements are the result of collaboration on a unified approach to this immediate health care crisis,” he continued.
Though the hospital system hasn’t seen anything that it’d consider a “surge” yet, Witmer says the local hospital is prepared if that would happen.
“While we have not seen increases approaching those numbers, we are diligent in monitoring the number of cases both within our system and outside of it,” she said.
She went on to highlight its access to resources within the University Hospitals system as well as the cooperation of other health systems if the number of cases in Ashland exceed our capacity to treat.
