COVID-19 spreads at Revere senior facility
Hebrew Senior Life confirmed Tuesday that six residents of the Jack Satter House on Revere Beach Boulevard have died, five related to COVID-19, while the cause of death of a sixth resident has not been confirmed.
Wayne Rose told WCVB-TV News that his mother, Virginia Kasper, 88, a resident of the Satter House, died Monday night at Massachusetts General Hospital. Mrs. Kasper had tested positive for COVID-19. HSL officials have not released the names of the other residents who have died.
A total of 13 residents at the Satter House had tested positive for COVID-19.
Lou Woolf, president and CEO of Hebrew Senior Life, said, “This insidious virus poses an increasingly dangerous threat to our oldest generation, not just in Greater Boston, but around the world. We all must be absolutely vigilant in our approach to physical distancing and infection control, and ever consistent in abiding by Centers for Disease Control and Mass. Department of Health Guidance.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to those who have lost loved ones to this virus, and our prayers go out to those who have been diagnosed and to their families as well.â€
Woolf went on to say that HSL has been in continual contact with the Mass. Department of Health and the City of Revere and has been preparing for this eventuality since the very first days of the outbreak and is determined to pro-actively do whatever it takes to keep the entire Satter House community as safe as possible.
Mayor Brian Arrigo expressed his personal condolences and those of Revere residents to the families of the deceased.
The news of the deaths struck the close-knit Satter House community hard. The senior independent living facility for ages 62 and over, has throughout its four decades developed a friendly, family atmosphere among its approximately 285 residents. The Satter House regularly hosts social events and holiday parties that are often attended by Revere officials. Residents of different faiths sit together and enjoy restaurant-style dinner meals in the cafeteria each day.
Mayor Arrigo, in coordination with the Revere Board of Health, directed further restrictions at the Satter House “to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect our most vulnerable residents.â€
Among the directives of the Revere Board of Health was the quarantining of all Satter House residents within their individual apartments.
Arrigo also extended additional guidance to other senior housing facilities across the city.
Paula Lowe, media specialist in communications and public relations at HebrewLife, said that HSL would be issuing another statement Tuesday. That statement will be available on its website.
The Revere Board of Health sent a directive to Senior Facilities recommending to take intensified precautionary measures. This includes the recommendation of implementing the following protocol to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19. Limit all visitors to the facility except for necessary medical personnel, essential employees and deliveries. All employees shall wear masks and gloves. Maintenance shall be intensified, etc.
(Information from the WCVB-TV web site and HSL was used in the compilation of this story).
