As a follow-up to my recent letter to the editor and the impending closure of our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, it occurs to me that the old expression “when one door closes, another will open“ applies to the current COVID-19 crisis our nation finds itself in.

According to many health care workers, the number one issue to successfully managing ANY epidemic, or pandemic, as it were, is the availability of facilities and medical equipment.

Well as it happens, the Tri-State and, more directly, Bellefonte Hospital stands to provide a 200-bed cushion against the potential rush on healthcare services.

In other words, it is my sincere hope that the upper management at Bon Secours, the parent company for OLBH, is willing to serve as a perfectly-timed contingency plan, by remaining open for the foreseeable future, and the greater good of the region.

Chris Perry

Ironton