Cattaraugus County officials said Wednesday the two county nursing homes have sufficient personal protective equipment for staff in the face of COVID-19 concerns.

The comments came in response to an email to the Olean Times Herald from an individual with friends who work at the Pines Healthcare and Rehabilitation Centers in Olean and Machias.

The email indicated there were not enough masks at the nursing home, that employees weren’t allowed to wear home-made masks and that employees were told not to make the information public.

Asked to comment on the suggestion that the nursing homes don’t have enough masks, County Administrator Jack Searles replied, “We do have enough personal protective equipment (PPE) for both facilities.”

The state Department of Health and county Emergency Operations Center receive daily updates on the supply of PPE, he said.

“Employees have never been told they would lose their jobs if they speak up,” the county administrator added.

Kelly Reed, the deputy county administrator and acting nursing home administrator, said there were limited N95 masks, but there is a about a five-day supply of surgical masks staff are required to wear inside the nursing homes.

Nursing homes were closed to visitors statewide more than three weeks ago over coronavirus concerns. Nursing home residents are not only elderly, but many have underlying health concerns.

“No one is going without,” Reed said during a telephone interview Wednesday.

Searles said employees wear the masks “as long as they are able to.” If they become damp or they leave the building and re-enter, they dispose of the old mask and they change out to a new one.”

Reed said, “We do not have a concern with a shortage of PPE at this time. There are adequate supplies to meet the need.”

Searles said there have been almost weekly shipments to the Office of Emergency Services. They ship the PPE off to nursing homes, fire and police departments and other first responders and medical facilities based on need.

“We keep pretty close track of supplies,” he said. “We meet those needs. … As far as threatening employees, we don’t do that.”

Reed said the nursing homes have worked with the county Health Department on when it is appropriate to use a surgical mask as opposed to a N95 mask, which is a tighter fit.

Home-made masks donated by the public are being worn by residents during the coronavirus pandemic, Reed said.

(Contact reporter Rick Miller at rmiller@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @RMillerOTH)