Observer-Dispatch
A portion of Oneida County was placed in a Yellow Zone, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday during a routine press briefing on the pandemic.
The zone encompasses the Utica and Rome areas, including New Hartford, Whitestown, Marcy and Westmoreland.
“There is a problem there and we have to be honest about it,” Cuomo said.
Here are the yellow zone restrictions:
Public and private schools must test 20% of a school over two weeks. If those results are lower than the zone s current seven-day positivity rate, testing at that school is no longer required.
Businesses can operate.
Worship services are limited to 50% capacity.
Former Utica Steam Cotton Factory to be redeveloped
The property will offer on-site parking and is located next to the future Mohawk Valley Health System downtown hospital.
Posted: Dec 14, 2020 12:38 PM
Posted By: Brent Kearney
UTICA, NY - A former factory building in downtown Utica will be renovated into new commercial space.
Mayor Robert Palmieri says the redevelopment will take place at the former Utica Steam Cotton Factory, located at 600 State Street. The Lahinch Group of out Syracuse plans to redevelop the old building into a brand new commercial space.
The property will offer on-site parking and is located next to the future Mohawk Valley Health System downtown hospital. It will hold medical and commercial space as well as food and beverage space.
Nurses on medical-surgical units are typically responsible for five or six patients, but these days they may oversee care for seven, eight or even nine patients, Conley said. In the ICU, nurses normally care for two patients, but now often have to care for three, she said.
“It has been very challenging,” she said.
Conley acknowledged that the Mohawk Valley Health System has been trying to recruit more patient care staff, including nurses, but said administrators need to do more to recruit and to retain staff. Some nurses have left because they’ve gotten better offers elsewhere, she noted.
“Be competitive in the marketplace,” Conley advised administrators. “Brainstorm some idea. There’s things that could be done. They’ve got to step up and make it happen.”
MVHS activates surge plan; nurses plead for more staff
Nurses gathered for a rally outside of St. Elizabeth Medical Center Thursday morning, urging Mohawk Valley Health System officials to address staffing shortages.
Posted: Dec 10, 2020 12:49 PM
Updated: Dec 10, 2020 5:59 PM
Posted By: WKTV
UTICA, N.Y. – They made it in the spring, but haven t needed it until now. MVHS says they re in the early stages of their surge plan, which Governor Cuomo directed all hospitals to have, and would increase bed capacity by 25%.
“Both MVHS hospitals are very busy right now. In the spring, we developed a surge plan which enables us to significantly expand our capacity. The surge plan is designed to be flexible and phased in as patient needs require. Given the increasing needs of our patients, we are in the early stages of our surge plan and increasing our capacity to 25 percent, as mandated by the Governor,” read a statement from MVHS late Thursday afternoon.