Gov. Newsom expresses gratitude for 'American heroes' at veterans center ahead of Memorial Day
Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at veterans center in Yountville ahead of Memorial Day. May 22, 2020
YOUNTVILLE, Calif. - California Gov. Gavin Newsom chose to speak at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville on Friday ahead of Memorial Day to thank "our American heroes" for their service and remind the public that these types of facilities are often disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
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He then shared an unusually intimate detail of his family life: He said his grandfather was a prisoner of war for nearly five years who eventually took his own life after returning home.
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And with that, Newsom introduced Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. Vito Imbasciani, who also spoke of his own grandfather, a 98-year-old WWII Marine.
Secretary of California Dept. Veterans Affairs Dr. Vito Imbasciani, who also spoke of his own grandfather, a 98-year-old WWII Marine.
Vito then began to outline the precautions he started taking in January to protect the veterans in his care.
Vito said he took 38 steps to close down the campus "which I was afraid would run wild through the veteran population."
For example, doctors and nurses are stationed at every location and all 3,000 employees are trained in infectious disease prevention, Vito said.
Since coronavirus broke out, all admissions to veterans' homes have been temporarily suspended, according to CalVet.
And as of mid-March CalVet began restricting all visitation to the homes except to those in hospice care.
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