Bucktail Medical Center Dealing with Increase in COVID Cases; Vaccines due Jan. 6

SOUTH RENOVO, PA – The Bucktail Medical Center is dealing with a recent upsurge in COVID-19 cases among residents and staff members.

BMC administrator Tim Reeves confirmed the news to therecord-online Thursday evening: “In spite of very diligent efforts over the past nine months, we do have COVID-19 in the facility. Currently 20 residents and seven staff; the first 13 were identified on Tuesday, Dec. 29. We are testing staff and negative residents daily. We update families with any changes in condition.”

Reeves said the South Renovo facility has a sufficient supply of tests to continue aggressive testing for several months; also an adequate supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

So far, Reeves said, the medical center does not have any critical patients and most are not showing symptoms; there are four residents that are symptomatic.

He explained how BMC is responding: “We have divided the facility into three areas; red for actively positive, yellow for having an exposure but are not positive, and green for residents that are negative with no known exposure. Each area is a hallway with doors on both ends, to help eliminate cross contamination. Staff in the red area does not cross into the yellow or green areas; likewise, staff in the green and yellow areas does not cross into the red area.”

Reeves said, “We have consulted with infectious disease experts in the state to design the treatment plan we have put into place, which includes some of the most current recommendations and medications. Many of the staff are doing double and triple duty to ensure our residents have the best possible care. Staffing is our biggest current challenge.”

Both residents and staff of the medical center are scheduled to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Reeves said BMC has enough to vaccinate all residents and staff who want vaccinated.