Woman Who Kept Nursing Home Coronavirus-Free 'Cried' At New Cases

GREENPORT, NY — A hero who worked tirelessly during the first months of the pandemic to keep the coronavirus out of her nursing facility was heartbroken recently when a series of positive cases were reported — and four residents died, she said.

Kelly Moteiro, nursing director of the San Simeon by the Sound Center for Nursing, Rehabilitation & Adult Day Health Care, in Greenport, was lauded for her selfless dedication for months as she packed up her bags and left her family to be sure she was close to residents at all times, working to keep COVID-19 far from the doors of the facility.

And for 10 months, she was successful, lauded by many as a "hero" and filled with relief that the residents she considers close as family had emerged for so many weeks and months unscathed.

But in January, the pandemic reached San Simeon, she said. There were six cases on Jan. 10, 10 months to the day she first headed to work and never left, she said. Then came a total of 11, by the Jan. 13 — and the deaths of four residents who were "very ill with underlying conditions," she said.

The San Simeon staff worked quickly to contain the cases to one unit and there have been no additional cases reported, she said; they are waiting for two PCR tests to come back for two residents who were still testing positive.

"Everyone else has recovered well," Moteiro said.

Describing the emotion of learning that residents had begun to test positive, Moteiro said her eyes still fill with tears, describing that day.

"On that Sunday, the 10th, we had six positives, three sets of roommates," she said. "I was heartbroken. Calling those families was one of the hardest things I've had to do through this whole thing."

The families, she said, were "so gracious and grateful for all we've done the past 10 months."

That Monday morning, one of the residents died. "I had to call her son, and I cried because I had to tell him this news," she said. "He was consoling me."

She added: "I always knew that it could happen...but it was just so sad for me. It hit me really hard."

San Simeon stood alone for months, with no cases or deaths reported: On Thursday a report by Attorney General Letitia James said thousands of nursing deaths in New York may have been undercounted.

And now, the same indomitable spirit that fueled Moteiro' determination for 10 long months to keep the coronavirus at bay soon ignited again — and the recent outbreak only served to strengthen her resolve.

"I knew I had to refocus, get myself together for a new goal — to contain it as best as we could. And now, I am proud of what we have done. I know it could happen again — it’s the reality of this virus — but we will continue to enforce strict rules with staff, including proper personal protective equipment, testing staff two times a week, and residents every other day, to keep on top of it and catch it early is it reappears. That’s all we can do — continue to fight."

Residents and staff have also been vaccinated, she said, with the first dose given on Jan. 4, the second, on Jan. 25, and a third coming on Feb. 14.

A total of 97 percent of residents and 48 percent of the staff have now received their second dose of the vaccine, Moteiro said.

The facility has been closed to all visitors for some time, she said.

"We are not backing down," she said. "We will continue the fight for as long as it takes."

For months, San Simeon remained untouched, with not a single patient falling ill.

And, according to some, that ray of hope lay squarely on Moteiro's shoulders.

Moteiro is an "amazing woman who has gone above and beyond," said Linda Mysliborski, who works at San Simeon. "The residents and their families and all of the employees are extremely lucky to have such an amazing director of nursing."

Moteiro said San Simeon closed its doors to visitors before the move to do so was mandated. She was in Florida on March 9 when Steven Smyth, San Simeon's executive vice president and administrator, closed the doors to visitors. Moteiro, 46, who lives in Lake Ronkonkoma with her husband, Rui, and her daughter Serena, returned from Florida on March 10, headed to work at San Simeon — and never left.

"I threw a lot of scrubs into a bag, because that's basically all I'm wearing," she said in April.

Moteiro lived in a hotel close to San Simeon so she could be readily available to help her patients, most of them elderly. Her family, she said, is used to her dedication — she had often done the same during hurricanes and snowstorms.

When asked how she was able to keep the virus out of San Simeon, Moteiro said the staff members who had even a sore throat or cough were asked not to come to work for two weeks. Also, any new patients admitted were isolated for the same amount of time to be sure they didn't have any symptoms.

The call to nursing came at a very young age. It's all she's ever wanted to do, she said. Moteiro has been a nurse for 23 years and has worked at San Simeon for four, and another facility in western Suffolk County before that. She's always worked with seniors and is committed to protecting them.

"I love hearing their stories," Moteiro said. The elderly have much to share and teach younger generations, she added.

She remains laser-focused on her mission of keeping the virus at bay. "I am so determined," she said. "Every day that I wake up and San Simeon remains COVID-free is a blessing like no other," she said.

This article originally appeared on the North Fork Patch