Director at coronavirus-hit veteran hospital holds ‘party’ at facility with 16 staffers not wearing masks or gloves
THE director of a Veterans Affairs hospital hit by the coronavirus was filmed leading a dance party with staffers who weren’t following social distancing guidelines.
Keith Allen, who leads the facility in Roseburg, Oregon, was filmed holding up a boom box and dancing to the song Sweet Caroline in VA offices with at least 16 staff members.
Among the song's lyrics include lines like "hands, , and "reaching out, touching me, touching you."
Roughly three minutes in, one staff members says, "There’s too many people in the room,” and the gathering subsequently breaks up.
A spokesperson from the Roseburg VA Health Care System told The Sun in a statement the “VA realizes the importance of social distancing during this national emergency and will reiterate that to all employees involved.”
“All staff who participated were volunteers and had been properly screened, per [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and VA guidelines.”
“Roseburg VAHCS takes its responsibility to protect Veterans and employees seriously, a fact that’s underscored by the facility’s .3 percent employee infection rate.”
, a from Oregon, said in a statement: “Director Allen’s actions were totally inappropriate, especially in a healthcare setting and especially given the numerous veterans with underlying health conditions.”
“Simply put, we need to see stronger leadership from him moving forward,” DeFazio wrote to the news outlet.
As of Wednesday, Oregon had nearly 2,400 positive cases of the coronavirus and 99 deaths.