HOLYOKE — A resident of the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke who had been residing at Holyoke Medical Center since April died last Wednesday after testing positive for COVID-19.
The death, which the state’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday, brings the total number of Soldiers’ Home residents who have died from COVID-19 this year to at least 77. It is the first coronavirus-related death of a Soldiers’ Home veteran reported since May. Between March and May of this year, at least 76 residents died with COVID-19 at the facility.
The Executive Office of Health and Human Services, or EOHHS, said Tuesday in its weekly update on the facility that the resident had tested positive for the virus in early December.
The state recently began testing all veteran residents and staff twice weekly. Currently, there are no residents who have tested positive, though 37 tests were still pending when the state released those figures. One resident has refused testing. In the most recent round of staff surveillance testing, two employees tested positive, the state said.
Veteran residents living in Holyoke Medical Center’s dedicated skilled nursing unit were offered the COVID-19 vaccine on December 17, according to EOHHS. And as a long-term care facility, the Soldiers’ Home is also prioritized for vaccination as COVID-19 immunizations are rolled out across the state. The state said it expects those vaccinations to begin around Dec. 28.
“The Soldiers’ Homes are encouraging the vaccine for all veteran residents and are working to obtain consent for those interested,” EOHHS officials said. “COVID vaccination is voluntary for everyone — however we encourage all people to get vaccinated.”
Currently 102 veterans are living in the home. Another 21 veterans are at Holyoke Medical Center, and five more are receiving acute care elsewhere.
Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.