Sen. Schumer asks U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services to provide support for Western NY hospitals overwhelmed with RSV
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WARSAW, N.Y. — Senator Chuck Schumer is asking for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide temporary staff, supplies, and support for telehealth services to Western NY hospitals that are overwhelmed with RSV cases.
Schumer spoke at a Friday conference at Wyoming County Community Hospital in Warsaw. The conference comes amid a surge of RSV, along with the flu, in Western NY.
The Monroe County Department of Health says that 247 people, mostly four years old or younger, have been hospitalized with RSV as of Nov. 12. Three people, all age 65 or older, have died of RSV in Monroe County.
Schumer says the support from USDHHS would go to small, rural hospitals like Wyoming County Community Health System and to large, urban hospitals like Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo.
“I’m using my clout as the Senate Majority Leader to get them (USDHHS) to act,” Schumer said.
Senator Chuck Schumer is speaking on Friday at 12:45 p.m. about his push to get federal funding to hospitals in western NY to address the increases in RSV cases.
Schumer was joined by Wyoming County Community Health System CEO David Kobis, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Mineo of Oishei Children’s Hospital, and other healthcare professionals.
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