The Army National Guard will be lending its power to a veterans home facing a deadly outbreak of the coronavirus.
The New Jersey Veterans Home in Paramus has already witnessed 10 deaths related to COVID-19, and at least 23 others have confirmed cases of the virus. Forty-seven other veterans are awaiting their test results to see if they have the virus, as well. The facility is home to 285 residents, meaning every precaution must be taken to ensure the safety of those living in the home.
To help manage the situation and ease the burden on the staff in place, 40 medics from the National Guard were deployed to Paramus to treat the veterans in need of care.
Kryn Westhoven, a spokesman for the state Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, told NBC News, “Families of our residents at the homes should know we’re doing everything we possibly can to keep the residents safe.”
The home in Paramus is located in Bergen County, New Jersey, which has the largest coronavirus outbreak in the state. While the facility is facing a difficult situation, it is not the only veterans home in the state to be welcoming the help of the National Guard. At least 35 medics will be deployed to a veterans home in Menlo Park. The Menlo Park facility has already suffered four COVID-19 deaths.
As of Thursday, New Jersey had the second-largest outbreak in the nation, with more than 51,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 1,709 related deaths. The coronavirus is particularly dangerous for those over the age of 65.
