January average count is third highest on record
Submitted by MNMC
STATE COLLEGE — On Jan. 28, Mount Nittany Medical Center was caring for 47 COVID-19 inpatients ranging in age from 26 to 97 years old. It averaged 45 hospitalized COVID positive patients in January. This is the third highest month on record, but down from the average of 57 in December.
Mount Nittany Health is monitoring the surge in COVID-19 community cases and continuing to make daily operational adjustments to meet the increasing patient demand. Elective surgeries requiring an overnight stay at the Medical Center have resumed on a limited basis. Outpatient surgeries have also increased, but are also on a limited basis.
“We continue to care for a high number of COVID positive patients at the Medical Center, and we are concerned that admissions are increasing again,” said Dr. Tiffany Cabibbo, chief nursing officer, Mount Nittany Health. “Community spread is extremely high, and on behalf of the healthcare workers at Mount Nittany Health, I cannot stress enough the importance of protecting yourself and others from the virus.”
GET VACCINATED
If you are already vaccinated, get a booster shot, and continue to wear a mask if spending time in crowded indoor public spaces.
If you experience any symptoms like fever, cough, chills, scratchy throat, body aches, headaches and/or loss of taste or smell, seek testing and isolate yourself from others;
GIVE BLOOD
Once every two seconds, someone in the US needs lifesaving blood. Go to redcrossblood.org to make an appointment to donate at any Red Cross blood drive – select a date and time that is convenient for you.
THANK HEALTHCARE WORKERS
During this time, please share a message of gratitude or encouragement to our Mount Nittany Health healthcare workers at courageousatheart.org.
MASKING REQUIRED
For the protection of everyone, Mount Nittany Health requires masking by everyone at all of our facilities.
VACCINATION OPPORTUNITIES
Mount Nittany Health offers COVID vaccination for patients of Mount Nittany Physician Group. Patients may schedule a Pfizer BioNTech vaccine or booster through their primary care provider. Visit the patient information page to learn more. The CDC recentlyupdated its recommendation for booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine. For other community vaccination locations, visit the vaccines.gov website.
COVID TESTING
Mount Nittany Health COVID-19 testing is an outdoor, drive-through location on the Mount Nittany Medical Center campus on the ground level (lowest level) of the parking garage. Testing is available for symptomatic patients. You must have an appointment and a physician’s order for testing. To schedule an appointment, call (814) 234-6106. Note that this site will not be utilized for COVID-19 testing prior to surgery.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is offering no-cost COVID-19 testing at the Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority at 253 Transfer Road in State College. The site will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Anyone seeking testing, regardless of age or residency, may use this site. You can also find additional testing sites on the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website.
