Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi opening First Responder Recovery Home for frontline workers with COVID-19

LUDLOW — The Hampden County Sheriff’s Department — backed by local businesses and community partners — is readying an 84-room First Responder Recovery Home for frontline workers diagnosed with COVID-19.

Doctors, nurses, police, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, corrections professionals and U.S. military members with COVID-19 staying at the Pre-Release Center will be provided with hotel bedding and restaurant quality food at no-charge, Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said.

For many people, a COVID-19 diagnosis is complicated by having to return home, where there may be elderly parents, immunocompromised children or spouses and newborn infants — making the medical directive to maintain a social distance difficult, he said.