Published in the March 30, 2020 edition.
WAKEFIELD — Residents of the seminal Brightview Senior Living complex on Crescent Street are under a full-community quarantine following a death there caused by the coronavirus.
Last Thursday, Executive Director Amy Murray wrote that the now-deceased resident presented with symptoms on Tuesday, March 24. “As you are aware,” she continued in a message to all residents, families and associates, “we immediately implemented a full-community quarantine for the 14 days recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health was also alerted and we continue to follow guidance from them as to the steps we should take to care for our other residents.
“As is the case during this terrible pandemic, we may never now where (the deceased) was exposed to the virus. Prior to (the Brightview resident’s) diagnosis, we had already implemented community-wide infection control protocol in line with the CDC and health department recommendations. Because (the resident) did not receive care from Brightview associates, none of our associates will be asked to self-quarantine at this time. Anyone who had prolonged exposure to (the deceased) within the last two weeks, which is defined by the CDC as being within six feet for at least 10 minutes, will be asked to contact their personal care physician for more guidance, including possible testing for the virus.
“We will continue to monitor residents in Assisted Living and Wellspring Village for symptoms, and we ask that Independent Living residents carefully self-monitor as well. Please contact your personal care physician and let us know if you have any concerns.
“Every member of our Brightview Wakefield family is important to us, including residents, their families, and our associates. (The deceased resident’s) passing is a difficult loss for all of us. Please be sure to support one another as we make our way through this sad and very challenging time,” Murray added.
In a Forum letter published today, Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio expresses sadness at the news that someone in Wakefield has died from COVID-19. He does not, however, identify the person as being a resident of Brightview Senior Living.
The town’s hands are tied as far as what officials can release for information so no one’s right to privacy is violated. For example, they will no longer update the public on the number of local residents who have tested positive for the coronavirus.
“The number of positive COVID-19 cases continues to rise,” Maio writes. “As of March 26, confirmed cases reported in Massachusetts total 2,417, up 579 from the previous day. Per the Massachusetts Command Center, Wakefield will no longer report their individual cases, but will instead promote county numbers. Middlesex County’s cases total 538. These figures are available at www.mass.gov and updated every day at 4 p.m.
As of yesterday, there were 4,955 known cases out of the more than 39,000 people who have been tested in Massachusetts. The known cases number will keep rising as more tests are done.
However, state figures show that while the known cases went up by nearly 700 Sunday, that was actually 300 less than Saturday, which saw more than 1,000 new known positive virus cases.
Some people with family members living at Brightview are rightly concerned about the full-community quarantine. The state, however, has ordered that facilities like Brightview “should restrict visitation of all visitors and non-essential health care personnel, except for certain compassionate care situations, such as end-of-life situations,” according to a memo from the Department of Public Health issued Monday, March 16.
