State intervenes at Hadley nursing center amid coronavirus outbreak
The Elaine Center at Hadley, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility on North Maple Street in Hadley. STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING
The Elaine Center at Hadley, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility on North Maple Street in Hadley. Photographed on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING
The Elaine Center at Hadley, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility on North Maple Street in Hadley. Photographed on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING
The Elaine Center at Hadley, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility on North Maple Street in Hadley. Photographed on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN GUTTING
State suspends admissions to Hadley nursing home amid COVID outbreak
Updated Jan 12, 2021;
HADLEY – A 154-bed nursing home here is barred from accepting new patients following six additional COVID-19 deaths and 92 cases among residents and staff, which resulted in a National Guard deployment to provide essential care and stabilize the situation.
The state reported the additional deaths at Elaine Center nursing home last week, based on data collected as of Jan. 5. This weekly COVID-19 report also showed 100% of the nursing home’s staff being tested in the seven-day period from Dec. 24 to Dec. 31.
The Department of Public Health stopped Elaine Center from accepting new patients on Dec. 30.
Remembering David Kielson and his lifetime of service
David Kielson CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
David Kielson with his dog Emma. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
David Kielson is seen hiking in Canada. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Modified: 1/8/2021 6:58:42 PM
CHESTERFIELD – David Kielson, whose work as an accountant and volunteer had a large impact on western Massachusetts, died Dec. 31 of COVID-19. He was 85 years old.
“He always felt like he wanted to contribute to the local community,” said Leslie Kielson, his youngest daughter.
Kielson moved to Chesterfield in 1983, following a career as an accountant in New Rochelle, N.Y. He did so with his wife, Gail, after their three daughters had left home.
Several area towns now COVID-19 red zones; deaths at Hadley nursing home
In this Jan. 6, 2021, photo, a person is inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine in Pompano Beach, Florida. AP PHOTO/WILFREDO LEE
Modified: 1/8/2021 2:59:00 PM
NORTHAMPTON Several area communities are now COVID-19 hotspots in the latest weekly report issued by the state Department of Public Health.
Though Hampshire County’s two largest communities, Northampton and Amherst, are in the yellow, or caution zone, in part because their positivity rates are below 5%, Easthampton, South Hadley, Hadley, Belchertown, and Southampton are all labeled red, along with Holyoke, according to the dashboard.
For the smaller communities, the status comes by having more than 25 new COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks, and for the larger towns it is due to having more than 10 cases per 100,000 residents and a positivity rate exceeding 5%.
Vaccine rollout underway: VA, Holyoke Health Center receive first shipments of Moderna vaccine
VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System in Leeds gave its first COVID-19 vaccine Monday to resident Kevin James Bates, 68, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Army from 1970 to 1973. VA CENTRAL WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Entrance to the VA medical center in Leeds. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO
Published: 12/24/2020 11:21:19 AM
NORTHAMPTON Providing Moderna’s vaccine to residents and front-line workers at the VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System in Leeds this week initiated the start of the next phase of protecting the most vulnerable populations from COVID-19 infection.
“Receiving the vaccine is like having hope delivered,” Duane Gill, director of the VA, said in a statement issued after inoculations began Monday. “As vaccine supplies increase, our ultimate goal is to offer COVID-19 vaccination to all veterans and employees who want to be vaccinated.”