Eastern Niagara Hospital and Niagara County today announced they have entered into a short-term agreement for the use of the former Newfane Intercommunity Hospital for housing quarantined individuals, should it be needed in the effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Niagara County Public Health Director Daniel Stapleton said, “This partnership between Eastern Niagara Hospital and Niagara County is the type of collaboration and cooperation our community needs as we work our way through the COVID-19 pandemic. We are all in this together.”

It is anticipated this site would be used for those who are not showing symptoms but cannot be quarantined to their home for various reasons. Newfane Intercommunity Hospital previously was a fully functioning hospital and as such, has the necessary infrastructure in place to adequately house identified individuals.

Eastern Niagara Hospital CEO Anne McCaffrey said, “We are pleased to work closely with Niagara County to utilize hospital resources for the betterment of the public health. It is our common goal to ensure the public health of our community and prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from accelerating in our region, to the greatest extent possible. While the need today is to use the facility to house quarantined individuals, Eastern Niagara Hospital, in conjunction with Niagara County, will continue to monitor the public health needs of the region and will evaluate the best usage of the facility on an ongoing basis.”