COVID-19 cases at Sitter & Barfoot Veterans Care Center

RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is currently monitoring five positive cases of COVID-19 related to the state veterans nursing home in Richmond, Virginia.  The cases at the Sitter & Barfoot Veterans Care Center (SBVCC) involve one resident and four staff members.

The resident has been receiving care at a Richmond-area hospital since April 5, and continues to improve. Currently, there are no positive COVID-19 cases among the residents within the facility.

All affected staff members are at home in self-isolation and are under the care of their personal health care providers.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is notified immediately of all positive COVID-19 cases and assists DVS with response measures.  SBVCC also notifies residents, family members, and staff of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases.

Measures currently in place to protect the health and safety of SBVCC residents and staff include:

• SBVCC is closed to all visitors. The only exception is for family members to visit a resident in an end-of-life stage, with prior-approval;
• Resident trips are cancelled, except for visits to outside medical facilities for medically necessary appointments or emergency room (ER) visits;
• Residents who have been admitted to a hospital must have a negative COVID-19 result that is less than 24 hours old, and must not have been tested or treated on any dedicated COVID-19 wing or isolation unit of the hospital;
• Any resident with a temperature above 100.4 or showing other potential signs of COVID-19 exposure is immediately isolated and additional screening procedures implemented. A COVID-19 test is conducted upon the direction of the SBVCC medical director;
• All residents have been asked to remain in their rooms for their protection;
• Residents are served their meals in their rooms, rather than in the facility dining room;
• SBVCC has taken steps to reduce the number of staff members who enter a resident room. All staff who enter a resident room are wearing masks.  If a resident’s condition calls for it, additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as gloves and gowns, is worn per VDH protocol;
• All persons entering the building are screened (temperature taken) and are asked about overseas travel or potential COVID-19 exposure. Persons with a fever or a positive response to the questionnaire are denied entry;
• Staff are following CDC guidelines related to handwashing, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, covering coughs, and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);
• Staff who are sick have been directed to stay home and contact their medical care provider;

SBVCC continues to follow the latest Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), VDH, and other guidelines closely.

The Sitter & Barfoot Veterans Care Center (SBVCC) in Richmond is a residential, skilled nursing care facility operated by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS).  It is exclusively for veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States.  It has a capacity of 200 residents in all-private rooms.  It delivers three types of care:  long-term skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term in-patient rehabilitative care.

As of April 17, 2020, there were 181 residents at the Sitter & Barfoot Veterans Care Center.  Over 360 staff members care for them.