Nursing center reports another virus outbreak

WATSONVILLE >> Just a s Santa Cruz County skilled nursing and residential care facilities finish paperwork to take advantage of the Federal Pharmacy Program and its doses for facility residents and staff, a Watsonville skilled nursing facility reported that 58 members of its community are currently COVID-19 positive.

Wat sonv ille Nursing Center administrator Rae Ann Radford said in an update to family and friends Monday that 47 residents and 11 staff members have active coronavirus cases. Of the 48 residents infected, two have been hospitalized.

T he numb er s wer e posted later in the day after on- site, rapid testing was conducted at the facility. Radford assured readers that the facility has sufficient PPE and that additional staff has been secured to help mitigate the situation, possibly through outside staffing agencies. Those workers were to begin Tuesday.

“Please feel free to continue to reach out to us by phone or through the facility website if you have any additional questions or concerns,” Radford wrote. “We appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging time.”

The facility first had an outbreak reported in late September during which less than 11 residents died of COVID-19 infections. At Watsonville Post Acute Center, also managed by Radford and her staff, an outbreak led to the coronavirus-related deaths of 14 residents. In both cases, some of the deceased had signif icant, underly ing health conditions that contributed to their deaths. In one case, the family of the deceased sued Watsonville Post Acute Center for neglect and wrongful death.

Currently, state data shows that COVID-19 outbreaks are being reported at three skilled nursing facilities in addition to Watsonville Nursing Center — Driftwood Healthcare Center in Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Post Acute in Santa Cruz and Valley Convalescent Hospital in Watsonville. Two residential nursing facilities are reporting outbreaks — Aegis Assisted Living in Aptos and Montecito Manor in Watsonville.

Testin- stcrts Tuesdcy

Though cases continue to be reported at congregate living facilities, many will begin to host vaccination technicians from CVS and Walgreens starting Tuesday.

According to Santa Cruz Post Acute spokesman Daniel Kramer, vaccination clinic dates for the skilled nursing facility — which has less than 11 active cases, according to the CDPH — are Tuesday and Jan. 19. Both the CDPH and the California Department of Siocial Services, which licenses residential care facilities, list all case or death numbers from one to 10 as less than 11 in accordance with de-identification guidelines.

“We are in the process of getting consent forms filled out for staff and residents this afternoon and evening,” Kramer said in an email Monday night.