Luverne Veterans Home gets help for Covid outbreak

The Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne managed to stay Covid-free during the height of the pandemic, but now an outbreak in the local facility is prompting state attention.
According to the latest information as of noon Tuesday, there are 36 positive cases among residents and staff, and the state is sending back-up nurses and assistance to help.
Luverne administrator Scott Buchanan wasn’t able to confirm if there have been fatalities, but he commended workers for their dedication.
“Staff and leadership are doing a remarkable job responding to this situation, and we are confident in the response we are providing,” he said Tuesday. 
According to local public health officials, Rock County’s 14-day COVID case rate on Tuesday was 57.
Jason Kloss of Southwest Health and Human Services said county cases are declining but still high. 
“Even though this case rate has decreased since the high of 93 on Sept. 29, COVID continues to maintain a foothold in the community, and the outbreak at the VA is indicative of that,” Kloss said. 
He said Sanford Luverne continues to see a high positivity rate for COVID testing. As of Oct. 25, 27 percent of the COVID tests performed were positive.
“The hope is that our case numbers will continue to trend downward, but that is not a certainty,” Kloss said. “Last year, the number of COVID cases peaked in December.”
The situation is different than last year, because now just under 50 percent of the Rock County population has been vaccinated for COVID. 
“But even with half the population being vaccinated in the rural parts of the state, the current COVID surge remains a challenge for long-term care facilities and our rural health care systems,” Kloss said.
“We continue to promote the layered approach to prevent the spread of COVID: get vaccinated, wear face masks when you can’t social distance, stay home when you are sick and get tested for COVID when applicable.  I know it sounds like a broken record, but doing one, two, or all these things is the best way to break the chain of transmission for this virus.”
Meanwhile at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne, staff from other areas of MDVA are currently on site supporting as needed. 
As of Tuesday, six such outside staff — three registered nurses and three nursing assistants — were helping in the Luverne facility.
“I am truly proud of the staff,” Buchanan said. “They are dedicated to the health and safety of our veterans. We appreciate the community’s ongoing support for our veterans and staff during this time.”