SACRAMENTO–The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) Monday announced that additional staff and residents at two Veterans Homes of California have tested positive for COVID-19.
This afternoon a resident in the Redding home and a resident in the West. L.A. home tested positive for the virus. Both are being treated at their respective veteran’s homes. In addition, a staff member at the West L.A. home has tested positive and is isolating at home.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases in the Redding home is now one resident and three staff members. The total number of confirmed positive cases in the West L.A. Home is now two residents and one staff member.
“Our entire CalVet family wishes these residents and employees a speedy and full recovery,” said CalVet Secretary Vito Imbasciani MD. “For many weeks CalVet has taken aggressive steps to protect against COVID-19 and we will continue to work closely with county, state, and federal health officials to mitigate the spread. Our dedicated employees are doing a remarkable job and we will continue to do all we can to prevent the spread of this virus,” said Imbasciani.
CalVet is following all protocols and is coordinating with the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control on steps to prevent the spread of the virus and protect the vulnerable residents of their homes. Those steps include identifying and notifying anyone in the home, including staff, who may have come in contact with the cases. CalVet staff have already moved some residents who have had contact with these COVID-19 positive individuals into isolation wings in the homes and are closely monitoring them. If additional residents who had contact are identified, they will be moved into those wings as well. The facility has isolation areas in every home and has ample supplies of sanitizers, gloves, and masks.
Each of CalVet’s eight veterans homes has a dedicated phone line to address calls from family members and to make sure they can check on their loved one and get up-to-date information. The homes have also assisted with video calls between residents and their loved ones.
In addition to all county, state and federal directives, CalVet staff follows the Veterans Homes of California’s own longstanding practices that include an extensive COVID-19 Preparation and Risk Reduction Action Plan.
