In this photo provided by the Vilanova nursing home, residents play inside the Vilanova nursing home on April 30 2020 in Corbas, central France. As the coronavirus cut a deadly path through nursing homes, staff locked themselves in with the 106 residents at this care home to stop COVID-19 coronavirus from infecting and killing the vulnerable older adults in their care, and they have not had any people falling victim to the virus.(Valerie Martin via AP)
The Associated Press
LYON, France (AP) - As the coronavirus scythed through nursing homes, cutting a deadly path, Valerie Martin vowed to herself that the story would be different in the home she runs in France.
The action she took to keep COVID-19 at bay, to stop it from infecting and killing the vulnerable older adults in her care, was both drastic and effective: Martin and her staff locked themselves in with the 106 residents.
For 47 days and nights, staff and residents of the Vilanova nursing home on the outskirts of the east-central city of Lyon waited out the coronavirus storm together, while the illness killed more than 9,000 people in other homes in France.
On Monday, Martin and 12 other colleagues who stayed in the home for the full duration were planning to end their quarantine.
They were coming out with an uplifting victory: Coronavirus tests conducted on the residents and staff all came back negative.
In this photo provided by the Vilanova nursing home, a nurse works with residents inside the Vilanova nursing home on April 22 2020 in Corbas, central France. The nursing staff of a care home in Lyon decided 45 days ago that rather than lock residents in their rooms as the government urged, the staff would lock themselves in the home with residents so as not to deprive the elderly of their freedom. The home has had zero virus cases so far. (Valerie Martin via AP)
The Associated Press
In this photo provided by the Vilanova nursing home, residents show posters reading "Thank you for everything" on April 27 2020 in Corbas, central France. The nursing staff of the care home in Lyon decided 45 days ago that rather than lock residents in their rooms as the government urged, the staff would lock themselves in the home with residents so as not to deprive the elderly of their freedom. The home has had zero virus cases so far. (Valerie Martin via AP)
The Associated Press
In this photo provided by the Vilanova nursing home, a board reads "55 days without any visit, 44 days of confinement for the team and still together with heart" inside the Vilanova nursing home on April 30 2020 in Corbas, central France. The nursing staff of a care home in Lyon decided 45 days ago that rather than lock residents in their rooms as the government urged, the staff would lock themselves in the home with residents so as not to deprive the elderly of their freedom. The home has had zero virus cases so far (Valerie Martin via AP)
The Associated Press
In this photo provided by the Vilanova nursing home, residents pose with a nurse on April 23 2020 in Corbas, central France. As the coronavirus cut a deadly path through nursing homes, staff locked themselves in with the 106 residents at this care home to stop COVID-19 coronavirus from infecting and killing the vulnerable older adults in their care, and they have not had any people falling victim to the virus.(Valerie Martin via AP)
The Associated Press
In this photo provided by the Vilanova nursing home, resident Mr Chatal smiles during a fake wedding with a nurse on April 25 2020 in Corbas, central France. The nursing staff of a care home in Lyon decided 45 days ago that rather than lock residents in their rooms as the government urged, the staff would lock themselves in the home with residents so as not to deprive the elderly of their freedom. The home has had zero virus cases so far. (Valerie Martin via AP)
The Associated Press