BVH briefly celebrates no COVID-19 patients

It was a moment to celebrate: For a brief time late last week, no patients were hospitalized at Blanchard Valley Hospital with COVID-19. Not one. "We have seen a light at the end of a very dark tunnel," wrote Blanchard Valley Health System CEO Myron Lewis in a statement posted Friday to the organization's Instagram page. As of Monday, two patients had been admitted to the hospital with the virus. But the numbers remain far lower than they were just a few months ago, when hospital staff were trying to quickly create more negative pressure rooms for COVID-19 patients, and administrators had to move employees from other areas to address staff shortages in caring for patients with the virus. From late October to late November, the hospital went from having about 10 or 12 COVID-19 patients at a time to having more than 50. In an interview Monday, Lewis said that the clinician who discharged the last remaining COVID-19 patient "kind of threw their hands up in joy." He said "the excitement of the staff" to have a period of no patients with the virus was great. There was a feeling among staff that they had beat COVID-19, he said. And, while the pandemic is not over yet, there are signs of progress and hope. Lewis said there is also a feeling of "pride and joy and relief." Hancock Public Health keeps records of how many Hancock County residents are hospitalized with the virus — a number that may differ from the number of patients hospitalized at Blanchard Valley, as some may be residents of other counties. Hancock Public Health public information officer Craig Niese said the health department was not aware of any county resident hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Monday morning. Lewis said a concern for staff is that, amid the pandemic, people have put off seeking other types of care, such as for chronic diseases like diabetes and heart issues. Hospital staff want to get the message out: "We're here for you. … Go get checked out and take care of yourself." And, while Blanchard Valley has provided non-COVID care throughout the pandemic, Lewis said now that fewer employees are needed to care for COVID-19 patients, more staff are available to provide other services. He said the goal is for as many people to get vaccinated as quickly as possible, in order to avoid a repeat of what the community experienced last fall. "While we are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 numbers, we have to stay the course," Lewis wrote in the statement on Instagram. "I can't stress enough the value of washing your hands, wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing. Please encourage your family, friends and neighbors to continue these preventive measures." And, he said, vaccine distribution is a challenge in many areas, so "we must remain vigilant." Arthurs: 419-427-8494