Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, a veteran healthcare facility located six miles from Mount Holyoke’s campus, is the location of a massive COVID-19 outbreak. Since March 25, 47 individuals at the Home have died, with at least 38 of those deaths resulting from the virus.
By Katie Goss ’23
As of April 16, the U.S. has recorded the highest-known number of cases of the novel coronavirus per country in the world. According to The New York Times, more than 30,000 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 have died, and at least 662,441 have confirmed cases of the virus as of April 15. States are scrambling to address this crisis, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts — with the third-highest number of confirmed cases in the U.S., after New York and New Jersey — is no exception.
As of April 16, Massachusetts has over 32,000 confirmed cases of the virus — over 2,500 of which are located in the Pioneer Valley, which includes Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties.
Hampden County
Holyoke
The site of Massachusetts’ largest fatal outbreak of the virus lies within the Pioneer Valley. At the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, a hospital and long-term health care facility for veterans, 47 people have died since March 25, with at least 38 of those deaths resulting from confirmed cases of COVID-19. According to WWLP 22 News, 56 percent of the veterans at the Home have tested positive for the virus since March, as well as 36 percent of staff members. According to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, the state is moving residents out of the Home to other in-state facilities for short-term transfers. Forty-four residents have been moved to Holyoke Medical Center, 15 of whom tested positive for the virus and three of whom have died.
A Boston Globe article reported on March 31 that the outbreak at the facility was kept secret from the public, even though patients were dying. The staff members were not given basic personal protective equipment, such as gloves, face masks or eye shields, after a resident tested positive.
After the publication of the article, Governor Charlie Baker hired Mark Pearlstein, a former federal prosecutor, to open a private investigation into the Home. As of Friday, April 10, the U.S. Department of Justice, along with Andrew Lelling, the U.S. Attorney for the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, have announced that they will be investigating the facility to determine if the residents’ rights were violated and whether they were provided the appropriate medical treatment. The office of the Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is also investigating the matter. The director of the facility, Superintendent Bennett Walsh, has been placed on paid leave for the time being.
According to the Washington Post, “such investigations typically result in legal agreements forcing changes.” These changes include how medical treatment is given in the future and other procedures. During the investigation, the schedule patterns and practices of the staff members at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home are being examined, and the Home will be expected to take on new changes as needed.
Since the investigation, the state called in the National Guard to come to the facility to conduct testing and help the staff. All residents have now been tested, and the staff’s body temperatures are checked throughout the day. If any COVID-19 symptoms are observed or a rise in body temperature occurs, staff members are asked to go home. Residents who test positive for the virus are being moved to self-isolation zones and transferred to a nearby hospital if necessary.
Hampshire County
Northampton
At the Hampshire County Jail and House of Correction, both an inmate and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 on April 11. The infected inmate is said to be doing better and set to recover in quarantine. Two other inmates have also been quarantined. However, officials did not confirm whether it was because they had come into contact with those that tested positive. Those two inmates were a part of a cell unit that held 26 others, so the county jail has kept each person in their own cell until they can reassess the situation.
According to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), the state’s highest court, ruled on April 3 that any pretrial detainee can request a hearing for a release due to the coronavirus so they can stay better isolated at home while awaiting trial.
The SJC has said they cannot change sentences already given, clarifying that this ruling is instead meant to encourage a faster process of parole hearings. They also hope to speed the release of certain inmates who are at the end of their sentences.
So far, the office of Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan has released 19 pretrial detainees out of 76 total from Hampshire and Franklin county jails. Ten of 16 recent detainees have also been released since the first week in April.
According to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton defense attorney Dana Goldblatt “argued that the SJC does have the authority to order the release of sentenced people” and that “keeping inmates in jail while exposing them to an ‘airborne poison’ while forbidding them to leave violates inmates’ constitutional rights.” The Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services petitioned against the SJC’s decision not to change current sentences, arguing that the virus would likely end up killing many prisoners.
Amherst
Meanwhile, Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts has opened its doors to homeless individuals who have been infected with the virus. On April 2, President of Hampshire College Ed Wingenbach notified the community that Hampshire was preparing a portion of Dakin House, a Hampshire College dormitory, to potentially be used for holding some of the people who had tested positive for the virus but were not sick enough to be hospitalized. In an effort to keep those infected from infecting others, colleges around the country — including Tufts University and Middlebury College — are also housing homeless individuals.
On April 7, Wingenbach sent out another email notifying the community that plans were set in stone, and Dakin had been prepared to house up to eight people at a time. Dakin had not been used to house students this year.
Wingenbach assured the Hampshire community that the college was taking precautions to ensure the health of students and employees. The town of Amherst is operating and staffing the dorm as well as paying all expenses. The dorm will be professionally sanitized and cleaned once the space is no longer used. No Hampshire College employees or students are involved in these preparations.
Wingenbach said in a letter to the community posted on Hampshire’s website, “I am proud we are able to follow our mission of ethical citizenship and social justice at this critical time.”
South Hadley
As of April 2, Mount Holyoke has closed all grounds and facilities to the public until May 4. This decision went along with South Hadley’s April 1 decision to close all outdoor recreation areas until May 4, limiting gatherings to 10 or fewer people. After the “stay-at-home” advisory was sent out, people reportedly continued to gather at outdoor spaces, causing an increase in crowding. The town of Amherst announced on March 29 that they were closing playgrounds, but parks and other outdoor recreation areas are still open.
Authorities are still encouraging community members not to leave their homes unless necessary and to continue following social distancing protocols.