'Hang on and do what works': Excela's top doctor talks vaccines, safety as covid restrictions are set to ease

New coronavirus cases are on the rise once again in Westmoreland County, and with more reopenings statewide coming Sunday, Excela Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carol Fox is on edge.

Some alcohol-related restrictions will be lifted by state officials this weekend and restaurants and other businesses can increase their capacity to 75%. Relaxing of measures meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus comes as the state and county are seeing an increase in new coronavirus cases and vaccinations.

“I would be much happier with the plans” if a higher rate of immunizations preceded reopenings, Fox said.

Virus cases in Pennsylvania and Westmoreland County took an upswing in March, but nothing like the surge during the fall and beginning of 2021. In Westmoreland, cases increased by 16.8% from February to March, according to state department of health data.

New cases reached peak seven-day averages on Dec. 16 with 10,579 statewide and 469 in Westmoreland. Since then, the numbers have mostly decreased with a few upticks — Westmoreland’s seven-day average of new cases was 110 Thursday compared to 67 on March 1, according to state data. The death toll stands at 706 people.

Covid patients at Excela Health’s three hospitals are down about 80% from the beginning of January, Fox said. The health system’s hospitalizations remain at a stable level, and current patients are not as ill as those during the fall and winter surge. A few people who may have covid-19 are on ventilators.

“That’s a difference for the better,” she said.

It’s all evidence that the vaccines, which are meant to prevent hospitalizations and deaths, are working as intended, Fox said.

But the widespread optimism that came with the vaccines — possibly coupled with relaxation of social distancing and mask-wearing, St. Patrick’s Day and variants of the coronavirus — could be contributing to the rise in cases, Fox said. Excela Health does not have the capacity in-house to test for any of the more infectious variants that have been found elsewhere in the United States and Pennsylvania.

“I think perhaps collectively we let our eye off the ball a little too much,” she said.

According to the state health department, about 57,000 Westmoreland residents are fully covered by coronavirus vaccines. About 52,000 others have received the first of two doses. Together, that’s about 38% of the county’s adult population. Vaccine providers have been assured of a continued supply in recent weeks. Wearing a mask and social distancing remain important keys to slow the virus’ spread, whether vaccinated or not.

“We just have to really hang on and do what works,” Fox said. “I really believe that masking helps and distancing helps.”

It takes about two weeks after an inoculation to develop immunity against the virus. While the pace of immunizations has sped up recently, testing for the virus has become more prevalent. Fox said testing through the health system has a quick turnaround time and, in addition to a testing site on Frye Farm Road in Unity and other locations, Excela is working with employers to help check workers when needed.

Excela officials are working with their counterparts in the United Way, local ambulance services and Westmoreland County’s department of public safety and others to formulate a plan to vaccinate people who are home bound. Logistics and coordination are being ironed out, but the plan eventually will serve as a way to reach those who can’t make it to a vaccine site.