Sturgis Journal When the U.S. began shutdowns on March 16, 2020, there were few confirmed cases of COVID-19 in St. Joseph County. For many, it took a while for the reality of the pandemic to set in. For people who work in the health care field, the pandemic became front-and-center almost immediately. Thurston Woods Village Thurston Woods Village, like other elder-care facilities in the state, closed to visitors on March 10, 2020, in an attempt to keep residents safe. Nurses, staff and other essential workers carried on. Two days after the shutdown, Thurston Woods Village began to post weekly updates on its website regarding the COVID-19 status at the facility.