COVID Update: Vaccine Delay in Broome, Visitors Return to All Nursing Homes

Broome County Health officials say they’re having problems with shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine again and it precedes expected bad weather that was predicted for March 26.

March 24, County Public Health Director Rebecca Kauffman said there had been a delay in shipments but the shots were expected before the end of the week.  Those doses still hadn’t arrived, forcing the county to postpone some of the vaccine appointments scheduled this week.  A check of www.gobroomecounty.com early March 26 showed there were no vaccine appointments open for the Broome Ice Rink Point of Distribution (POD).

Broome and Tioga County both report another death attributed to COVID-19.  In Broome County, a man in his 60s passed away bringing the death toll to 327 while Tioga County reported a non-nursing home death to bring the death toll to 71.

Residents with loved ones in New York nursing homes are now free to visit, many for the first time in over a year.  March 25, state officials announced revised nursing home visitation guidelines to align with new guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to take effect immediately.

Visitation is now okay at all times and for all residents with limited exceptions for unvaccinated residents in areas of high community spread and lower vaccination rates. Nursing homes still have to adhere to infection control practices like sanitation, face masks and distancing.  The new guidance replaces the February 23^rd directive that required a facility to be COVID-free for 14 days.

And another sign of returning to normal that some may not be as welcome to some is announced.  The Broome County District Attorney says the first jury trial since the COVID-19 pause is complete with the conviction of Thomas Jenne on four felony counts of aggravated family offense and four felony counts of criminal contempt for violating an order of protection.