{"id":97703,"date":"2020-03-31T09:12:56","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T13:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/valorguardians.com\/blog\/?p=97703"},"modified":"2022-01-13T20:31:16","modified_gmt":"2022-01-14T01:31:16","slug":"11-veterans-dead-several-residents-staff-exposed-to-covid-19-at-holyoke-soldiers-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/?p=97703","title":{"rendered":"11 veterans dead, several residents, staff exposed to COVID-19 at Holyoke Soldiers\u2019 Home"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wwlp.com\/news\/local-news\/hampden-county\/holyoke-soldiers-home-superintendent-placed-on-leave-effective-immediately\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/holyokesoldiershomecovid.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>One of our regular contributors sends us this:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The superintendent of Holyoke Soldier\u2019s Home has been placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately, according to the Office of Health and Human Services on Monday following the announcement of 11 veteran resident deaths, some of whom tested positive for COVID-19.<\/p>\n<p>Department of Veterans Services spokesman Anthony Preston told 22News as of Monday, the Soldiers\u2019 Home located at 110 Cherry Street in Holyoke had confirmed the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>11 veteran resident deaths (5 tested positive for COVID-19, 5 pending test results, and 1 is unknown)<\/li>\n<li>11 \u00a0veteran residents have tested positive for COVID-19<\/li>\n<li>25 veteran residents pending test results<\/li>\n<li>5 staff tested positive<\/li>\n<li>Medical information regarding individual staff and veteran residents is deemed private and cannot be shared<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Val Liptak, RN, CEO of Western Massachusetts Hospitals, will\u00a0replace Walsh and assume responsibility for the\u00a0administration\u00a0of the\u00a0Soldiers\u2019\u00a0Home at this time.\u00a0Preston said in accordance with CDC guidelines, the residents who tested positive or awaiting results have been isolated and staff members who had contact with them have been advised to quarantine until they are asymptomatic.<\/p>\n<p>Governor Charlie Baker in a tweet on Monday said he was heartbroken by the news and that the loss of the residents to the virus is a \u201cshuddering loss for us all.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"SandboxRoot env-bp-350\" data-twitter-event-id=\"0\">\n<div id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"EmbeddedTweet EmbeddedTweet--cta js-clickToOpenTarget\" lang=\"en\" data-click-to-open-target=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MassGovernor\/status\/1244797729018187776\" data-iframe-title=\"Twitter Tweet\" data-scribe=\"page:tweet\" data-twitter-event-id=\"1\">\n<div class=\"EmbeddedTweet-tweetContainer\">\n<div class=\"EmbeddedTweet-tweet\">\n<blockquote class=\"Tweet h-entry js-tweetIdInfo subject expanded\" cite=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MassGovernor\/status\/1244797729018187776\" data-tweet-id=\"1244797729018187776\" data-scribe=\"section:subject\">\n<div class=\"Tweet-header\">\n<p><a class=\"TweetAuthor-avatar Identity-avatar u-linkBlend\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MassGovernor\" data-scribe=\"element:user_link\" aria-label=\"Charlie Baker (screen name: MassGovernor)\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/BfsEMsAE_normal.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-scribe=\"element:avatar\" data-src-2x=\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/profile_images\/853638312178921472\/BfsEMsAE_bigger.jpg\" data-src-1x=\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/BfsEMsAE_normal.jpg\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"TweetAuthor js-inViewportScribingTarget\" data-scribe=\"component:author\">\n<div class=\"TweetAuthor-nameScreenNameContainer\"><span class=\"TweetAuthor-decoratedName\"><span class=\"TweetAuthor-name Identity-name customisable-highlight\" title=\"Charlie Baker\" data-scribe=\"element:name\">Charlie Baker<br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TweetAuthor-decoratedName\"><span class=\"TweetAuthor-verifiedBadge\" data-scribe=\"element:verified_badge\"><b class=\"u-hiddenVisually\">?<\/b><\/span><\/span><span class=\"TweetAuthor-screenName Identity-screenName\" dir=\"ltr\" title=\"@MassGovernor\" data-scribe=\"element:screen_name\">@MassGovernor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Tweet-brand\">\n<div class=\"Icon Icon--twitter \" title=\"View on Twitter\" role=\"presentation\" aria-label=\"View on Twitter\">As someone who has visited the Holyoke Soldiers&#8217; Home on many occasions to catch up with staff and residents, I am heartbroken by today\u2019s news. The loss of these residents to COVID-19 is a shuddering loss for us all.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"CallToAction-chevron\" data-scribe=\"element:cta_chevron\">\n<div class=\"Icon Icon--chevronRightCTA \" title=\"View on Twitter\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"View on Twitter\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>He\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MassGovernor\/status\/1244797731287203840\">added that<\/a>\u00a0public health experts are at the Soldiers\u2019 Home conducting a thorough review of the health status of staff and residents to plan appropriate next steps.<\/p>\n<p>Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Dan Tsai\u00a0in a\u00a0statement to 22News\u00a0said it\u2019s imperative the\u00a0Holyoke Soldiers\u2019 Home\u00a0provides a safe environment for the veteran residents and the\u00a0dedicated\u00a0staff who serve them.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><em>We have also implemented an onsite clinical command team comprised of medical, epidemiological, and operational experts responsible for the comprehensive and rapid response to the outbreak of COVID-19.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>All of these enhancements will build upon the existing protocols and work that align with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Massachusetts Department of Public Health guidance.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Today\u2019s actions underscore the state\u2019s commitment to our veterans and frontline health care employees during this unprecedented public health crisis.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><cite>\u00a0DAN TSAI, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPUTY SECRETARY<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>On March 23, the state Department of Veteran\u2019s Services confirmed a resident at the Soldiers\u2019 Home tested positive for COVID-19.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wwlp.com\/news\/local-news\/hampden-county\/resident-tests-positive-for-covid-19-at-soldiers-home-in-holyoke\/\">You can read more here<\/a>. Mayor Alex Morse also released a statement expressing how devastating and grief-stricken it is to hear about the outbreak at the Soldier\u2019s Home.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt has been devastating to hear about the full extent of the COVID-19 outbreak at the Soldiers\u2019 Home,\u201d said Mayor Morse. \u201cWhile I am grateful that the State is now taking swift action to ensure residents and staff get necessary care and treatment, I am grief-stricken for those we have already lost, and my heart goes out to their families and friends. The devastating impact of this virus on an individual is made worse by the limitations on their loved ones to mourn and grieve in traditional ways for those who have passed. To the families who have lost a loved one, know that all of Holyoke shares your grief. I\u2019ve requested that flags in the City be lowered to half-mast tomorrow morning in their honor, for their service to our country, and to our community.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Ya, now comes the thorough review and flags at half-mast over something that had been predicted and preventable for weeks.\u00a0 Political talking heads blah, blah, blah&#8230;\u00a0 nothing like some faux outrage with your morning coffee.<\/p>\n<p>Source: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wwlp.com\/news\/local-news\/hampden-county\/holyoke-soldiers-home-superintendent-placed-on-leave-effective-immediately\/\">11 veterans dead, several residents, staff exposed to COVID-19 at Holyoke Soldiers\u2019 Home | WWLP<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of our regular contributors sends us this: The superintendent of Holyoke Soldier\u2019s Home has been &hellip; <a title=\"11 veterans dead, several residents, staff exposed to COVID-19 at Holyoke Soldiers\u2019 Home\" class=\"hm-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/?p=97703\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">11 veterans dead, several residents, staff exposed to COVID-19 at Holyoke Soldiers\u2019 Home<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":667,"featured_media":97706,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[385,88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-97703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exploitation","category-health-care-debate"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/667"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=97703"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97708,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97703\/revisions\/97708"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/97706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=97703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=97703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=97703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}