WOODLAND, Calif — Heroes Work Here.
That's what a banner reads at Woodland's Stollwood Convalescent Hospital at St. John's Retirement Village saluting healthcare workers who have worked tirelessly to help the elderly residents in the home despite the heavy threat of the novel coronavirus.
Stollwood has a cluster of coronavirus cases in its facility with 64 residents and workers who have tested positive for the virus, six of whom have died due to complications from COVID-19.
Yolo County Public Health Officer Dr. Ron Chapman said that family could not be at the bedside of those who passed.
"I honestly have never seen an outbreak as stunning as Stollwood," Dr. Chapman said during a Tuesday morning county board of supervisors meeting.
The 14-acre gated community is home to some 150 seniors. Public health officials say all residents and staff have been tested for the virus, and some results still coming in.
Protective protocols are now in place, including symptom screenings. Anyone testing positive for the virus, or showing symptoms are immediately isolated.
Dr. Chapman says the state sent 20 healthcare workers to fill in for sick staff.
"The situation at Stollwood has just been too dangerous," Dr. Chapman said.
Stollwood isn't the only nursing home in the state struggling amid the pandemic.
Nationwide, we see the pandemic striking vulnerable nursing homes. The state and county are now gathering data specifically on outbreaks at individual long-term care facilities like St. John’s.
Recent data from the state shows at least 65 residents and workers at two Sacramento nursing home facilities have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to state data released this week.
The two Sacramento facilities are among at least 856 cases in the state's more than 7,000 facilities, a number that is likely much smaller than the state's actual number of cases.
The preliminary data released by the state, which did not list the Woodland cases, only included facilities that house more than six people and have reported more than 10 confirmed cases.
Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday said that the state is monitoring the large number of cases and has been in contact with nursing home facilities to address the crisis.
"It's over 8,685 licensed facilities that we are monitoring in the state of California and over a 300,000 patient capacity, that doesn’t even include the staff," Newsom said in his daily press briefing. "Gives you a sense of the breadth and depth of the responsibilities in that space."
But amid the devastating toll its taken, Dr. Chapman said there have been countless acts of heroism inside of the Stollwood facility.
The kitchen has been closed, so Dignity Health and local restaurants have been stepping up to provide meals.
Elizabeth Reynolds, an 89-year-old who lives at the facility, told ABC10 in a phone interview that staff members knock on her door to leave food since she’s been isolated.
She passes her time reading and doing needlework, but it’s taking an emotional toll.
"It's a very lonely situation, because I don't see anyone," Reynolds said.
Still, despite her conditions, she says she’s grateful for the support the workers at St. Johns and Stollwood have been doing around the clock.
"They are doing the best that they can," Reynolds said.
Follow the conversation on Facebook with Van Tieu.
FOR THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS NEWS,
DOWNLOAD OUR APP:
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Daily Blend Newsletter