As with much of the state, the Lewis County Hospital and nursing home have been no exceptions to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in recent months.
The county has been transparent and diligent in protecting its workers, according to Nancy Mooney, a certified nursing aide at the nursing home.
“They put (the numbers) out there for the community to see (the cases) in the hospital and nursing home. They’re not afraid of it, which is good because we’re a small community,” Mooney said.
Mooney, who has worked for the county for more than 25 years, gives a lot of credit to the hospital for how they have handled the pandemic. She credits a lot of its success to being county-owned.
“All of the county organizations are right there working together,” Mooney said. “I think it’s been a big difference being a county hospital that we all work together.”
Although rural communities like the North Country haven’t seen large daily numbers, their level of concern is no different.
“The biggest stress is (the fear of) bringing it home to my family,” Mooney said. “(I fear) somehow catching it at work and bringing it home before knowing I even had it.”
Mooney says she has seen the news that some hospitals across the state are reaching maximum capacity and having to stop elective surgeries. Fortunately, the Lewis County Hospital hasn’t reached that point, but they’re prepared.
“When it first started back in March, they set up a special unit where our adult daycare used to be,” Mooney said. “They have a unit in there, in case they get overwhelmed in the hospital, where they can put people.”
— Nicholas Newcomb
