National Guard Arrives At Chesco Veterans Home After 10th Death

EAST VINCENT, PA — The National Guard has arrived to assist at a veterans living facility in Chester County that has been particularly hard hit by coronavirus. Residents there account for 10 of the county's thus far-confirmed 31 deaths, as of early Sunday.

The state-run Southeastern Veterans' Center, located off Dunlap Drive in East Vincent, is just one of many area long term care facilities to see a disproportionate number of deaths from the virus.

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Chester County has a total of 141 cases of coronavirus among residents in nursing homes around the county, and 19 employees have been infected.

Of the county's 31 deaths, 27 have been residents in long term care facilities. Chester County has 17 different facilities, but the Southeastern Veterans' Center has been hit the hardest.

"Please keep the residents of this facility and those of all congregate care facilities in your thoughts and prayers," Chester County Commissioner Josh Maxwell said Saturday. "Please stay diligent and safe. Let's all remember to #MaskUp and think about the people in our community we hope to protect."

Like they've done at several other long term care facilities around the state in recent weeks, the National Guard members will fill gaps left by staffing shortages. At Broomall Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, where the National Guard arrived on Saturday, members were providing treatment for non-acute and long-term patients with routine care.

The Center, one of six state-run facilities overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, has 238 skilled nursing care beds and 54 personal care beds. And while it touts its more spacious, home-like setting as compared to other nursing homes, the virus has still managed to spread rapidly there.

Officials did not say how many positive cases had been found in staff and residents in that specific facility. Numbers on specific facilities have generally not been released.

In addition to the National Guard's assistance, the Chester County Department of Health is on the scene providing additional support.

The home is also hiring, as immediate openings are available for registered nurses, LPNs, nurse aides, custodial workers, and food service workers, the state announced this week. They're holding a virtual job fair on April 23 (see here for details).

It's not known if the staffing shortages are primarily due to individuals who have contracted the virus, or who are in quarantine as a precaution, or for other reasons.

No visitors have been allowed at the East Vincent facility since March 12.

Officials added that the county is "ramping up" their coronavirus testing. As of Sunday morning, there have been 831 positive cases of coronavirus confirmed in the county, and 3,770 tests have come back negative.

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