Today, Mount Nittany Medical Center is caring for 40 COVID-19 inpatients ranging in age from 49 to 95 years old. The Medical Center averaged 45 COVID positive inpatients per day in January. January had the third highest average daily COVID inpatient census on record, but represented a decrease from the daily average of 57 in December. In the first few days of February, there is a similar trend to January with an average of 42 hospitalized COVID patients per day.
Mount Nittany Health continues to monitor the surge in COVID-19 community cases and makes daily operational adjustments to care for those admitted to Mount Nittany Medical Center for COVID-19, as well as other acute and surgical needs. Outpatient surgeries and elective surgeries requiring an overnight stay at the Medical Center have resumed on a limited basis.
“Community spread continues to be high, and nearly one in every three patients at the Medical Center is hospitalized for COVID. We are concerned that admissions for COVID remain high,” says Dr. Tiffany Cabibbo, Executive VP of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, Mount Nittany Health. “Having to limit or delay our services is not how we want to be providing care, but it’s been necessary for several months now. We encourage everyone to do their part to slow the transmission of COVID In our community.”
To slow transmission of the virus, please:
- Avoid large indoor gatherings.
- Wear a mask.
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Get vaccinated.
- If you are already vaccinated, get a booster shot
- Continue to wear a mask in crowded indoor spaces.
- If you experience any symptoms like fever, cough, chills, scratchy throat, body aches, headaches and/or loss of taste or smell, seek testing and isolate yourself from others.
Give Blood
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs lifesaving blood. Visit redcrossblood.org today to donate at a Red Cross blood drive.
Thank your local healthcare workers
During this time, please share a message of gratitude or encouragement to our Mount Nittany Health healthcare workers at courageousatheart.org..
Masking Required in all Mount Nittany Health facilities
For the protection of everyone, Mount Nittany Health requires masking by everyone at all of our facilities.
Vaccination Opportunities
Mount Nittany Health offers COVID-19 vaccination for patients of Mount Nittany Physician Group. Patients may schedule a Pfizer BioNTech vaccine or booster through their primary care provider. Visit our patient information page to learn more. The CDC recently updated its recommendation for booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine. For other community vaccination locations, visit the vaccines.gov website.
COVID Testing
Mount Nittany Health COVID-19 testing is an outdoor, drive-through location on the Mount Nittany Medical Center campus on the ground level (lowest level) of the parking garage. Testing is available for symptomatic patients. You must have an appointment and a physician’s order for testing. To schedule an appointment, call 814.234.6106. Please note that this site will not be utilized for COVID-19 testing prior to surgery.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is offering no-cost COVID-19 testing at the Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority at 253 Transfer Road in Bellefonte. The site will be open 10:00 am – 7:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday through February 12. Anyone seeking testing, regardless of age or residency, may use this site. You can also find additional testing sites on the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website. .