LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — The percent of positive COVID-19 tests has increased in Lancaster County as well as across the state. It's now at 12.7%, and officials are wary because COVID-19 hospitalizations are also rising.
"The one thing that concerns me the most: Lancaster County has 12.7% positive," said Dr. Michael Ripchinski, chief clinical officer for Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. "The state is at 11.7% positive."
Lancaster County's number is also higher than neighboring Chester County, which has a similar population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
"Chester County to our east is at 7.8% positive rate," explained Dr. Ripchinski.
Now, factor in COVID-19 hospitalizations: As of Tuesday, Lancaster General Hospital 103 inpatients, including patients in observation status, 22 people in critical care, and 19 patients who required ventilators. Wellspan Ephrata had 30, according to Dr. Ripchinski.
"I worry about having to stop all elective surgeries because, as we talked about in the spring, patients can clearly be impacted, and they're waiting to get their surgery performed, whatever that may be, whether it's spine procedure, orthopedic procedure, cancer-related procedure. We'd rather not have to hold those elective surgeries off as we had certainly cases which did not have the greatest outcomes in the spring from holding them off," explained Dr. Ripchinski.
Dr. Ripchinski says LGH is keeping an eye on the numbers. He is wary of what's to come because of Thanksgiving.
"Keep in mind that we may still see an increase in hospitalizations in the next two weeks," said Dr. Ripchinski.
During a commissioners work session Tuesday, officials stressed contact tracing remains a viable tool in mitigating the spread.
"We can still see some progress - at least two and a half contacts per case," explained Ripchinski.
"People have been responding to the call. That's great. It is a tool we want to see continue," explained Commissioner Ray D'Agostino.
It appears contact tracing efforts will continue into 2021 in Lancaster County. CARES Act Funding paid for contact tracing from March through December. LGH will pay for January through April 30, 2021.
Soon, there will also be more access to COVID-19 testing, according to D'Agostino.
"Now, we're looking about having a pilot where some of the testing will be done in the schools by the schools with the help of LGH," explained Commissioner D'Agostino.
The commissioners are also looking ahead; they say the county's emergency management agency has a plan in place for when a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.