ALBION – In collaboration with the Orleans County Public Health Department, Oak Orchard Health will be offering free Rapid Covid-19 tests at Oak Orchard’s Albion location, 301 West Ave.
This drive-through clinic will be conducted on Friday, December 18, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Asymptomatic testing is for people who don’t have symptoms but want tests completed for other purposes such as travel and work requirements.
No appointments are needed, however, you must have your form completed prior to testing. You can find the form by clicking here.
To help the process please note the following guidelines:
Everyone in the vehicle is to have their mask on when they pull up at the testing site.
For those who are getting tested, they may get a call quickly from an unknown number…please answer the phone. Staff cannot leave messages and can only give results to the individual tested or the guardian of minor children.
If the results are positive, you will be notified by the New York State Department of Health.
These free tests and swabbing kits are being provided by NYSDOH.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 10 December 2020 at 1:38 pm
Contributed Photos – The large new individual event scoreboard at the Albion pool which shows the time and place finish of each lane in a particular event.
The new scoreboard which shows the team scores for both the boys and girls meets.
When the upcoming Niagara-Orleans League swim season gets underway the Albion High pool will be ready with some major upgrades for the facility’s timing and scoring system.
The district recently completed work installing a new electronic timing system and new touch pads.
The new system has included the installation of two new scoreboards. One displays the team scores for both the boys and girls meets. The other larger scoreboard displaces the time and place finish for each lane for a particular event.
The improvements will also include the installation of new swim lanes.
“It really is a complete upgrading of the timing and scoring system,” said Athletic Director Adam Krenning. “It really is a very positive improvement.”
Free testing for asymptomatic people expected to continue through January
Press Release, Orleans County Health Department
KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County will be offering residents, who are asymptomatic (no symptoms, not feeling sick, etc.) free drive-through Covid-19 self-administered rapid testing at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, 12690 Route 31. The entrance to the clinic is the west entrance on Taylor Hill Rd off Route 31.
The free testing will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16. As a reminder, for anyone who had a recent potential exposure to Covid-19, it is not recommended to be tested until at least 5 days have passed since the exposure.
To schedule a test, please register online by clicking here. Anyone needing additional help for online registration may contact the Orleans County Health Department at 585-589-3278.
“Our Genesee County clinics have had exceptional turnouts and will continue to be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at least through January,” stated Paul Pettit, Director for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “We anticipate that the Orleans County clinics will continue on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. through January as well.”
To help the process please note the following guidelines:
Print out your completed forms (each person in your vehicle should have their own form) and bring them with you to the clinic.
Make sure you have a pen in your vehicle.
Everyone in the vehicle is to have their mask on when they pull up at the testing site
Those who are testing could get a call fairly quickly from an unknown number…please answer the phone. Staff cannot leave messages and can only give results to the individuals tested or the guardian of minor children.
“We are working with our county partners to put these clinics on as the Health Department staff continue to do case investigations to lessen the impact of the virus,” stated Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislative Chair. “This helps us identify those who are potentially infected and preventing them from spreading the virus to others. This will also help lower our positivity rate. We look forward to providing this service to our residents.”
MEDINA – Animal Science teacher Paige Hungerford recently had a guest at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center. John Bateman, an instructor of Environmental Conservation at Finger Lakes Community College, gave the students some hands-on exposure to exotic species.
“My students are learning about exotic animals such as birds, reptiles, rodents, etc.,” said Mrs. Hungerford. “Mr. Bateman shared his collection of animal furs, skulls and products that were made from exotic animals. His collection comes from confiscated items by authorities, who donate them to the college for learning purposes.”
Students learned about minks whose colors change depending on the season – white in winter and brown in the summer. It helps them to hide from predators.
The students saw a python skin that was over 6 feet in length. They also examined sheds from cervids, which are mammals who possess antlers such as deer, elk and moose.
Mr. Bateman also showed them a skunk pelt, wolf pelt and coyote pelt and talked about how they were made into clothes and trophies.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 December 2020 at 9:16 am
Group nearing 17 years of pumping gas for senior citizens
Photos by Tom Rivers: Gary Westlund pumps gas for a local senior citizen on Wednesday at Crosby’s in Albion at the corner of routes 31 and 98.
ALBION – A dedicated group that has pumped gas every Wednesday morning the past 16 years for senior citizens has also raised about $600 this year for the PAWS animal shelter in Albion.
The Albion Betterment Committee has spearheaded the effort every Wednesday from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Crosby’s gas station on Route 31. Besides pumping the gas, the ABC pays for a 10-cent discount per gallon.
Few of the senior citizens accept the discount. Most choose to give it back for ABC to donate to PAWS. That has added up to $600 this year.
The Betterment Committee this holiday season also is directing some of those unclaimed discounts to the Salvation Army red kettle drive. That is up to $120 so far. Community Action runs the red kettle campaign in Orleans County. This year they aren’t having in-person bell ringers due to Covid-19.
Gary Kent, one of the ABC directors and a gas pumper, wanted to send some money to the red kettle campaign, which continues with countertop kettles in some stores.
Gary Westlund knocks some snow off the windshield and wipers of a vehicle driven by a senior citizen.
Kent sees the gas pumping as a way to assist senior citizens and make a weekly connection with those residents.
He praised a group of local veterans who have been dedicated to the effort, including Gary Westlund and Clarence Winkelmann. Joe Gehl, an ABC director and Korean War veteran, also has been very supportive of the effort.
Westlund, a Marine and retired materials manager at Delphi in Rochester, drives from Spencerport to Albion every Wednesday to pump gas for senior citizens. On Wednesday, he also wiped snow off their windshields.
Fay DeClerk
“He is as dependable as the sun rises,” said Kent, a retired social studies teacher at Kendall.
Sometimes the volunteers will check car fluids and walk the money inside the store so seniors don’t have to get out in the cold.
They also will open doors for other customers at Crosby’s and offer a friendly greeting.
Kent said the volunteers show no signs of slowing down from the weekly commitment. In February, they will mark 17 years of pumping gas for seniors.
“It’s a good cause,” Westlund said. He also visits family on his weekly trips to Albion.
Fay DeClerk appreciates the volunteers being so reliable and helpful on Wednesday mornings.
“They’ve pumped my gas a lot of times,” she said Wednesday morning. ‘It’s nice of them.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2020 at 8:20 pm
District could receive up to $201,600 in first year, plus another $50K in one-time payment
BARRE – The Albion Board of Education agreed to a payment in lieu of taxes agreement with the developers of Heritage Wind, a deal that would bring up to $201,600 in the first year, plus 2 percent in annual increases.
Apex Clean Energy, the developers of the project, also offered a $50,000 one-time payment to be paid within 15 days of when construction of the project is done. The company is proposing to build 33 turbines with a 5.6 megawatt capacity of 184.8 megawatts total.
The company has offered $9,000 per megawatt annually to be shared among taxing entities in a PILOT or community host agreement.
Barre has opted out of a PILOT and instead is trying to negotiate a host community agreement. That way Barre will get a majority of the revenue from Apex. With a PILOT, the money tends to be divvied up based on the tax rates of the municipalities. With that approach, the school district would get the largest percentage with Barre getting less than the school and county.
With the PILOT agreement, Albion would receive $1,091.91 per megawatt annually or $201,600. One of the 33 turbines also is proposed to be in the Oakfield-Alabama school district, which would receive $34.09 per megawatt or $6,300 annually.
Orleans County would receive $1,125 per megawatt for $207,900 in the first year, with 2 percent annual increases to follow.
Heritage also agreed to $50,000 to the school district for a one-time “Heritage Wind Renewables Ecology, Clean Energy, and Sustainability Scholarship and Education Support Fund.” The money is to be spent at the discretion of the district. It could be used for scholarships, science fairs, student research projects, financial support for faculty in renewable energy field, a STEM lab or “however the district deems fit.” The $50,000 is to be paid within 15 days after completion of the project.
The Board of Education accepted the terms of the PILOT on Monday, with the understanding the BOE isn’t stating support or opposition for the project. That decision will be left to the town and the state, the BOE said.
“Approving these resolutions does not mean that the district is in favor or against the construction of the wind mills,” the BOE stated in its resolution. “The district has made it very clear that this is a decision to be made by the people in the Town of Barre and the State of New York. These are just procedural items necessary in order to be included in the distribution of funds if this project does move forward.”
The Albion school district had a tax levy of $8,449,094 for the 2020-21 school year. The $201,600 would represent 2.4 percent of the school taxes.
For the county, the tax levy in 2021 is $18,309,497. The $207,900 for the county represents 1.1 percent of the county taxes.
The revenue for Barre would make a much bigger difference in the town taxes. Barre’s 2021 budget calls for a tax levy of $1,108,566.
Apex has offered the local taxing jurisdictions $9,000 per megawatt annually. If the project is built as proposed at 184.8 megawatts that would be $1,663,200 in total annual revenue.
The PILOT includes first year payments of $207,900 for the county, $201,600 for the Albion school district and $6,300 for Oakfield-Alabama – $415,800 total. Subtracting that from $1,663,200 might leave $1,247,400 for Barre, which would more than wipe out the town taxes. (The terms for the Barre host community agreement haven’t been publicly disclosed.)
Heritage Wind officials will discuss the proposed project for Barre during a virtual public meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Click here for more information.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2020 at 5:10 pm
LYNDONVILLE – The school district announced today that it will be going remote-only starting next week for the rest of December.
“As the number of positive Covid-19 cases continues to rise across New York State and Orleans County, it brings a number of challenges for our school district, including the ability to staff in-person learning with certified staff members,” Jason Smith, District superintendent, said in a letter to the community. “In addition, positive cases continue to grow and many staff and students are unable to attend in-person instruction given the close-contact quarantine mandate.”
Lyndonville will shift to remote-only on Dec. 14 and continue with on in-person classes until after the holidays on Jan. 4.
Batavia City School District in Genesee County also has switched to remote only due to the challenges of quarantining staff due to possible Covid exposures.
“I would like to thank you for your ongoing efforts to help minimize the spread of Covid-19 in our school and community,” Smith said in his letter. “With your assistance, we have been able to successfully keep our doors open and offer daily in-person instruction for all our students with remote instruction as an option.”
The district so far this school year has had three students and six staff members test positive for Covid.
“As you know, we have been in regular contact with the Orleans County Department of Health and are closely monitoring the rise of positive cases in our district,” Smith said. “Throughout the pandemic, we have had to make adjustments on a case-by-case basis to ensure the safety of our students and staff.”
Smith outlined these key details for the district as part of the switch to remote-only:
The last day of in-person instruction will be Friday, Dec. 11, for students in grades Pre-K to 5.
For students in grades 6-12, the Academic Assistance Day for Dec. 11 will go on as planned. For students who are not expected to attend the Academic Assistance, their last day will be Thursday, Dec. 10.
Free breakfast and lunch will continue to be available for all district students. During this closure, meals may be picked up each day from 9 to 11 a.m. in the parent drop off loop at the far cafeteria door.
On Friday, Dec. 18, food pick up will contain meals for 3 days. There will be no meals served from Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. If meal delivery is needed, call 765-3122 to make a request.
Students without internet access at home may request a Kajeet wireless hotspot by contacting Dr. Aaron Slack via email aslack@lcsdk12.org or by phone 765-3162.
If a student requires transportation to and from BOCES:
Walkers will continue to come to Lyndonville school district and board the bus to Orleans/Niagara BOCES. They will board the bus for the return trip to Lyndonville, and will walk home from school.
For students who ride the bus to Lyndonville, contact the Lynn Fetzner at 765-2701 and Lyndonville will send a bus to pick up the student and at the completion of the day at BOCES, will be transported home.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2020 at 4:28 pm
2 counties combined pass 2,000 Covid cases since March
Orleans and Genesee counties are reporting 85 more confirmed cases of Covid-19 today in the two counties. Those cases push the total past 2,000 in the two counties since March.
In Orleans, there are 37 new positive cases reported today, with the total to 778 positive cases since March.
The new positive cases reside in all 10 towns of the county – Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Ridgeway, Shelby and Yates. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.
Of the new cases, 13 of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said in a news briefing.
The county is reporting that 6 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
There are currently 6 positive individuals hospitalized.
• Albion Central School notified the community today that a student in the elementary school and one in the high school have tested positive for Covid-19. Contact tracing and the quarantine of students and staff members was implemented according to Health Department guidelines, the district said.
• The Medina Central School reported that a staff member at Wise Intermediate/Middle School tested positive for Covid-19. The Department of Health has determined that there is no need for any further quarantines related to any school contact, the district said.
In Genesee County, there are 46 new positive cases for a total of 1,283 since March.
The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Darien, Elba, LeRoy, Pavilion and Pembroke. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.
Of the new cases one is a resident at the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia, two are residents at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation, and two are at the VA Medical Center. In addition, one of the previous community active cases has been identified as a resident of the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia.
Genesee is reporting 58 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.
Genesee has 21 residents hospitalized due to Covid, the highest during the pandemic.
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments has a new format for announcing when there is a time when they can’t contact potential close contacts.
The above chart will replace several press releases and will be reported as needed. The Health Departments say people may have been exposed to Covid from noon to 1 p.m. on Dec. 2 at O’Lacy’s Irish Pub in Batavia.
For people at O’Lacy’s during this time, they should monitor for symptoms of Covid-19. If the symptoms develop, contact a primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until the test results are received.
Symptoms of Covid-19 include but are not limited to fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.
• 3-County Data: Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in the three rural counties of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming. There are currently 445 active cases in three counties, up from 422 on Tuesday and down slightly from the 449 on Monday, which is the peak for active cases during the pandemic.
Orleans has a new record high of 122 active cases, up from 89 on Monday and 92 on Tuesday. Genesee is at 213 active cases, down from 269 on Monday and 231 on Tuesday. Wyoming has 110 active cases today, which ties its high of 110 on Dec. 4. Wyoming had 91 on Monday and 99 on Tuesday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2020 at 1:57 pm
Photo courtesy of Albion Police Department: Albion Police Officer Christopher Glogowski is pictured with elementary school students in this photo from February 2019.
ALBION – The school district agreed to keep a school resource officer until the end of the school year on June 30, 2022.
The Board of Education voted on Monday to renew a 2-year contract with the Village of Albion, at the same $81,250 rate. The contract keeps an officer committed at the district from Sept. 1 to June 30.
Chris Glogowski, an Albion police officer, has served in the role since February 2019, after the district didn’t have an SRO for several years. The Board of Education on Monday said Glogowski has proven to be “a valuable asset to the district.”
“He also has spent a large portion of his time working with our students and building a relationship with them,” the Board of Education stated in the contract agreement. “You can often find him greeting students when they arrive in the morning, along with a send-off wave at the end of the day. When he isn’t greeting students, you can find him in the classroom reading stories to students which he continued during our closure through recorded videos.”
If Albion is unable to assign an officer to the school, the contract will be reduced by $350 per day.
The school resource officer works under direction and supervision of the Albion police chief, but the school superintendent and building principals also can have input in the officer’s duties and job performance.
The duties of the SRO include but are not limited to law enforcement, investigation, education, counseling (as appropriate), and those items identified in a specific job description, according to the contract.
The officer will work normal school hours, Monday through Friday, and some major school social and sporting events.
The $81,250 contract with Albion is less than the $95,070 that both Lyndonville and Kendall pay the county to have a deputy assigned as school resource officer. With the county contract, there is no built-in overtime. If Kendall or Lyndonville district need overtime, that is invoiced separately.
Medina’s contract for a school resource officer has the school district paying the village $70,000 for services from a Medina police officer this school year.
WNY, most of upstate set to go from $11.80 to $12.50 an hour
(Editor’s Note: The minimum wage on Dec. 31 is scheduled to increase from $11.80 to $12.50 per hour in the state, outside of New York City and Long Island and Westchester County; and from $13 to $14 on Long Island and Westchester County. New York City’s minimum wage is $15 an hour.)
Press Release, State Sen. Robert Ortt
ALBANY — New York State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt and members of the Senate Republican Conference today wrote a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo, seeking a pause in the minimum wage increases on Long Island, Westchester, and areas outside of New York City on December 31.
Small and medium-sized businesses across New York State continue to face unprecedented challenges this year, and are struggling to keep their doors open while keeping their employees on the payroll. In order to keep employees and customers safe, these struggling businesses have made significant investments, but they are barely making it.
“Our small businesses are hanging on by a thread and in order to help businesses stay open and keep all of their employees,” Ortt said. “We cannot add any additional financial hardship at this time. The Governor has the power to temporarily pause minimum wage increases and we urge him to do so until the end of the pandemic. We do not want our small businesses to make the difficult choice of laying off workers or closing their doors because this becomes the final straw during the financial fragility of the pandemic.”
The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) found that 90% of small businesses which received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans have entirely spent down those funds and are ready to begin the loan forgiveness process. The federal loan program was created to keep employees on the payroll, but even with this assistance and other programs, NFIB says 20% of small businesses believe they will shut down within six months. About 19% believe they will close within a year.
The scheduled increase to the minimum wage could make this crisis worse. But, the law allows for the temporary suspension of the increases based on a report and recommendation from the Governor’s Director of Budget. Postponing the increases until small and mid-sized businesses are on a sturdy financial footing post-pandemic will save jobs across the state.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2020 at 12:00 pm
First priority: nursing home residents and staff, high-risk hospital workers
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today he expects the first shipments of a Covid-19 vaccine to be available in the state, possibly this weekend.
The state is due to receive 170,000 doses in the first Pfizer shipment. The governor said the first doses of the vaccine will go to nursing home residents and staff, and high-risk hospital workers.
The state will develop guidance on who should be considered high-risk hospital workers (emergency room, intensive care units) but Cuomo said each hospital will decide who gets the first round of the vaccine.
The governor said the first does of the vaccine will be distributed by the following amounts per region: 11,150 in Finger Lakes Region (which includes Orleans), 14,500 in Western New, 4,500 in Southern Tier, 6,400 in Central New York, 19,200 in Mid-Hudson, 3,700 in North Country, 4,200 in Mohawk Valley, 7,850 in Capital Region, 26,500 in Long Island and 72,000 in New York City.
Cuomo said the state will launch a public education campaign to encourage people to take the vaccine. He said 75-80 percent of the population needs to take it for it to be effective in shutting down Covid-19. He said he is concerned that 50 percent of the population don’t trust the new vaccine.
Cuomo has offered to be among the first to take it to show his confidence in the vaccine. He said vaccinating the population is needed to allow the state and country to move on from the Covid crisis, which has caused the deaths of nearly 300,000 Americans since March.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2020 at 10:17 am
HOLLEY – Orleans County Undersheriff Mike Mele has returned to his home in Holley after surgeries on a “severely broken leg,” said Sheriff Chris Bourke.
Mele was injured Saturday when he swerved to avoid a head-on collision on Route 31 near Tuthill Road. Another driver crossed into Mele’s lane due to slick roads.
Mele took a hard right turn to avoid an accident with that vehicle. His Chevy Tahoe left the road and crashed into a house.
Mele broke his right leg, cracked three ribs, suffered lacerations on his head and a brain bleed. Doctors at Strong Memorial Hospital put pins, screws and plates in Mele’s right leg, Bourke told local elected officials on a conference call Tuesday evening.
“Mike is looking at quite a long time to recover,” Bourke said. “He’s in a lot of pain.”
The Sheriff’s Office has received encouraging notes and phone calls from other sheriffs and undersheriffs around the state, as well as from the local community, Bourke said.
A group of pastors stopped outside Mele’s house on Tuesday to pray for his recovery.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2020 at 9:45 am
DSS organizing Christmas effort for 148 kids in the county
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Genesee County Deputy Robert Henning, left, and Orleans County Deputy Dave Foeller delivered boxes of toys on Tuesday to staff at the Orleans County Department of Social Services, with DSS staff Christina Tilbe, second from left, and Heather Manella helping to move the toys inside.
Stan’s Harley-Davidson in Batavia and Van’s Pit Stop in Clarendon collected toys to be given to families served by DSS. Stan’s collected seven boxes and Van’s, in its first year as a collection site, had one box for the effort.
The toys will be shared by DSS in Genesee and Orleans counties.
The local deputies also donated proceeds from “No-Shave November” to the DSS to purchase gifts for the kids.
Jesse Underwood, right, from Stan’s Harley-Davidson carries one of the boxes of toys. He said Stan’s customers gave more toys and bigger gifts this year for the drive.
“People were even more generous this year,” he said.
Orleans County Deputy Dave Foeller hands a box to Lisa Thrash, a caseworker with the Orleans County DSS. The deputies offered to transport the boxes for the annual drive.
Lisa Thrash carries a box inside the County Administration where the toys will be sorted. Jeanine Larkin, the DSS supervisor of foster care and preventive services, follows behind with boxes on a cart.
Larkin said the DSS staff is organizing an effort to provide presents to 148 children that they work with. They are trying to have at least two presents for each of the children.
Larkin said there used to be a holiday party for families and children at DSS, but that won’t happen this year due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The DSS staff will instead be delivering the gifts. She said many county employees have purchased toys and presents for the children, and the staff at the county courthouse purchased 25 winter jackets for children.
Other community members, churches and organizations provide toys for the agency to give to the children.
“There is so much love and joy coming in,” Larkin said.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 9 December 2020 at 8:31 am
MEDINA – Construction work has resumed on a hotel being built on Maple Ridge Road.
The Wisconsin-based Bri-Mark is the company building the 58-room hotel in the Medina Business Park. The hotel was previously scheduled to open last March, until a work stoppage in December 2019. Then the pandemic hit and construction was not resumed.
“I’m very excited they are back and working,” said Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for Orleans Economic Development.
No opening date has been set, she said.
The hotel was 80 percent complete when work stopped.
The new hotel, which will be named Cobblestone Inn and Suites, will be owned by Medina Hospitality.
Cobblestone Suites previously told the Orleans Hub that the company has carved a niche with a “mid-scale product” that isn’t an economy hotel or a “mom and pop” operation.
The company has about 150 hotels open or under construction in small towns. They range in size from 31 to 73 rooms, with 45 being the average.
Cobblestone Suites will be Orleans County’s first branded hotel. The Orleans EDA worked for about five years to bring the project to the community, seeing the hotel as a way to boost tourism revenue and keep visitors in the county longer, which should help local businesses.
Workers load furniture through a window of the hotel. Construction stopped a year and then a restart was slowed by the pandemic.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 9 December 2020 at 7:38 am
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced that Medina Memorial Hospital has been provided with the antibody medications approved by the FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization through the Federal and State Covid-19 programs.
“These medications are for patients who are confirmed positive for Covid-19 and have high risk complications that put them at a high risk for hospitalization”, said Kathleen Brauen, Pharm D. Director of Pharmacy at Orleans Community Health.
The drugs are Bamlanivimab and Casirivimab/Imdevimab.
Both drugs can only be given to non-hospitalized patients with mild or moderate symptoms only. They are an infusion and must be administered at the hospital. The infusion and observation period required are around two hours, Brauen said.
Patients interested in these drugs should discuss them with their healthcare provider to determine if they are a good candidate.
Any medical provider interested in setting up these infusions at Orleans Community Health for their patients can call Melanie Lusk in Care Management at 798-8490.
