SARANAC LAKE — Primary care facilities operated by Adirondack Health across the region have increased staff precautions and telehealth appointments in response to the significant uptick in COVID-19 cases throughout the North Country.

Providers and nurses at all health center locations — in Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, Keene and St. Regis Falls — will don N95 masks, along with goggles and/or face shields, for all patient encounters. Routine in-person appointments will be postponed or take place virtually, on a case-by-case basis.

“These primary care facilities are community pillars, and COVID-19 is rapidly spreading through our communities,” said Dr. Tracey Henderson, a local pediatrician and Adirondack Health’s medical director for the health centers. “We strive to be transparent in our decision-making and nimble with our daily workflows, in order to maintain our capacity to the greatest extent possible.”

Adirondack Health has thus far managed to largely limit employee exposures, though several providers and staff have tested positive for the virus since June.

“Adirondack Health has made substantial investments in telehealth services and technology, especially in our primary care settings,” said Aaron Kramer, chief operating officer at Adirondack Health. “Digital platforms enable our clinicians to provide the same quality care from the safest possible distance.”

To learn more, visit adirondackhealth.org/coronavirus. General questions about COVID-19 should be directed to the New York State Department of Health COVID-19 hotline: 888-364-3065.