VALLEJO (CBS SF) — A COVID-19 outbreak at The Windsor Vallejo Care Center has claimed 16 lives and left 112 residents infected with the virus, according to Solano County health officials.
On Thursday, a family of one of the residents who died was voicing concerns about the conditions that led to the outbreak. Shawnie Bennett and some other victims’ family members have started a petition on change.org, asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to shut the facility down.
“I believe my brother’s death could have been prevented had they taken proper precautions,” Bennett said.
William Bennett III had been in the facility since last year after suffering a stroke. The coronavirus killed the 31-year-old on May 13th.
“The patient that was in his room who was coughing didn’t have on a mask,” Shawnie Bennett said. “Nor was my brother offered a mask. There are things that they could have done to prevent the death.”
California Health officials have just issued brand new guidelines, saying every nursing home has to test every staff member and every patient at least once a week.
The Solano Public Health department said, in fact, that is exactly what they are doing now at Windsor.
Also, Solano officials said they were keeping covid-positive residents separated from those testing negative. Staffers are being isolated as well, and contact tracing is being done to try to curb the spread of the virus.
KPIX 5 reached out to Josh Sable, an attorney for Windsor, who emailed back that no one would be available for an interview.
Vallejo City Council asked to OK requirement that face coverings be worn in all public buildings
The Vallejo City Council will decide on Tuesday whether to ratify an order requiring persons in town to wear a face covering when entering a public building, and outside when unable to be six feet apart. Chris Riley – Times-Herald file photo.
Vallejo leaders will be asked Tuesday to ratify an order requiring the mandatory wearing of face masks when entering any enclosed space open to the public in the city of Vallejo.
The order, requested by the mayor and several other members of the Vallejo City Council, would extend to all persons entering grocery stores, convenience stores, liquor stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, laundromats, dry cleaners, hardware stores, commercial office buildings, tobacco stores, restaurants, bars or pubs, any medical facility, senior care facilities, and any religious building in Vallejo.
The order also extends to all government buildings, police station, marina, and fire stations in the city of Vallejo.
“There is significant evidence that the wearing of face masks, especially in enclosed public places, reduces the risk of transmitting the Novel Coronavirus which causes the disease COVID-19,” city staff wrote in a report to the city council. “However, it is not a guarantee that someone will not contract the virus.”
Vallejo City Manager Greg Nyhoff, serving as the city’s director of emergency services, issued the order which stipulates persons are not required to wear a face mask when outdoors “unless it is not possible to maintain a distance of six feet from every other person.”
“In the event that a person cannot maintain the aforesaid six feet outdoors, then that person shall be required to wear a face mask,” the order states.
The order applies to individuals over the age of 5, and face coverings are not required to anyone “who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance, anyone with a disability or medical condition for whom wearing a face mask is not recommended by their healthcare professional, and/or any other person exempted by any federal, state or local law or regulation.”
It also requires any person entering residential buildings consisting of at least two dwelling units to wear a face mask when in the lobby, hallway, stairwell, elevator, laundry room, garage or any other enclosed areas which are accessible to more than one dwelling.
Staff admitted that enforcement of the order may be problematic.
“Officers who are already spread thinly may receive multiple calls from the public about people who are not wearing masks,” staff added. “This, along with the current level of service calls, may increase work loads and potentially other more important calls.”
Solano County has not issued any order requiring the wearing face masks while out in public.
The emergency order will take effect at midnight on the day it’s signed by Nyhoff.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vallejo City Council will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, via teleconference. Those wishing to address the council on the emergency order can submit a comment via https://opentownhall.com/8868.
Coronavirus: Thirteen dead at Windsor Vallejo Care Center
More protests planned at Vallejo care center
Protesters picket in front of the Windsor Care Facility in Vallejo where 13 people have died and at least 130 have been infected with COVID-19. (Chris Riley—Times-Herald)Vallejo Times-Herald, by John Glidden, May 20, 2020
The health emergency at Windsor Vallejo Care Center worsened Wednesday after Solano County officials confirmed two more people have died after being infected with COVID-19 at the skilled nursing facility, bringing the total number of deaths at the facility to 13.
Jayleen Richards, Solano County public health administrator, said 10 of the infected individuals were in hospice care at the time of their deaths. She said 99 residents, and 33 staff members have been infected with COVID-19 as of Wednesday.
Prior to release of the new numbers Wednesday, Maria Grimaldo led a protest of about a dozen people outside the facility, demanding it take better care of its residents.
“Light needed to be shined on Windsor’s practices pre-COVID, but now it’s more of a driving force for me,” she said.
Grimaldo’s 86-year-old grandmother, who is a resident at Windsor, has tested positive for COVID-19.
“My grandma would be left in her own feces, we would have to fight them just to give her a blanket. Sometimes she wouldn’t get dinner until 8 p.m. at night,” Grimaldo said.
She said her grandmother is receiving more attention and care after being moved to the part of the building reserved for COVID-19 positive residents.
“She shouldn’t have to get COVID-19 to receive better care,” Grimaldo added.
Grimaldo blamed the staff at Windsor for infecting her grandmother with COVID-19.
“How did she get it? She’s been in a segregated part of the building since the third week in April,” Grimaldo said.
When asked, Grimaldo believes the problems at the facility start at the management level, which then trickles down to the staff who “lack bedside manner.”
“Prison inmates get treated better,” Grimaldo said.
Grimaldo said she will continue to protest outside the facility, which is located at 2200 Tuolumne St., every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Attempts to reach Windsor staff were unsuccessful.
Reached for comment on Wednesday, Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan said the city has no jurisdiction over the skilled nursing facility. However, he did say the city is working with the county to monitor the situation.
Due to the loss of so many employees to COVID-19, Kaiser Permanente has begun providing care for Windsor residents, according to a joint statement from Senior Vice President/Area Manager Nor Jemjemian, and Chris Walker, physician-in-chief for Kaiser Permanente’s Napa Solano Area
“The health and safety of our patients, staff, and the community is our priority. We recognize that COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving situation and we are doing everything we can to keep our members, staff and communities as safe as possible,” they said. “We are deeply grateful to our medical teams, staff, and employees who are expertly and compassionately caring for and protecting our members, patients, communities, and each other.”
It wasn’t immediately known what type of staffing is assisting at Windsor.
County officials began testing residents and health care workers in late April after the facility reported nearly a dozen residents had been infected with Coronavirus. That initial number doubled ballooned to 76 residents infected in early May. At that time, there weren’t any reported deaths.
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