Nearly a dozen COVID-19 cases seen at Holyoke Soldiers’ Home

HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - We’ve learned the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home is currently has almost a dozen positive COVID-19 cases. Now, lawmakers want to make sure this outbreak is handled properly.

We’ve learned from the state there is currently 11 long-term care veterans that are COVID-19 positive in the home.

The home is in an active and ongoing consultation with the state’s Department of Public Health regarding the outbreak. The state said the veterans who tested positive were immediately moved into isolation and family members were notified.

Visitation is still allowed with added visitor instructions and precautions, including PPE requirements.

This outbreak comes after more than 80 veterans were killed in a COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 at the home.

State Senator John Velis told Western Mass News that he met with the state’s Department of Veteran Services today to make sure proper procedures are being followed.

“I wanted to know about the contingency plans. One of the lessons that we learned from the outbreak, the tragedy in 2020, there needs to be contingency plans for every set of facts and my concern going into today is if these numbers continue to rise. COVID numbers are rising right now. Are there contigency plans if folks need to go to another facility and I was assured today from DVS there are,” Velis explained.

The state said 94 percent of veteran residents have received their initial COVID-19 vaccination and bivalent booster and 100 percent of staff have received all the required COVID-19 vaccinations.

We did receive an email that was sent out to families, asking them to avoid in person visits if possible, at this time, and if they do, to wear a N-95 mask.

Western Mass News will continue to follow this story and will have more as it becomes available.

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