CHICAGO, Ill. � The Illinois House Veterans� Affairs Committee had its first chance to ask questions about the COVID-19 breakout at the LaSalle Veterans� Home Wednesday. Lawmakers demand accountability from the Pritzker administration, as they feel residents and families deserve answers about how this tragedy happened.
Officials from the Illinois Department of Veterans� Affairs say they have the outbreak contained with strong compliance measures in place. As of Wednesday, 108 veterans in the facility tested positive, with 56 of those residents having recovered. Experts on-site report 19 active cases, but 33 veterans have died following complications with COVID-19.
Meanwhile, 103 staff members tested positive since the start of the outbreak. Dr. Avery Hart, the Illinois Department of Public Health consultant working at the facility, says only two of those cases are still active. No employees have died.
“The last resident test that came back positive was done on November 26,� Hart explained. “The last staff member who tested positive on pre-shift testing was detected on November 30.�
Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) still wonders why IDPH waited until two weeks after the first COVID diagnosis before sending a consultant to the facility.
“Up until then, we’d experienced well over 185 people testing positive for COVID-19 and 15 deaths of our veterans,� Rezin emphasized.
Walking through the timeline
Several lawmakers asked IDVA Chief of Staff Anthony Kolbeck about the timeline of the outbreak. He noted former LaSalle Home Administrator Angela Mehlbrech reported the outbreak to the U.S. Department of Veterans� Affairs on November 2. The LaSalle County Public Health Department also alerted IDPH officials. By November 8, three veterans had died and the number of cases continued to rise.
“Did we reach out to Dr. [Ngozi] Ezike and ask for assistance by November 8,� asked Rep. Randy Frese (R-Quincy). “I have not contacted Dr. Ezike at any point during this,� Kolbeck responded.
Although, IDPH officials participated in a virtual meeting with home administrators on November 9 to hear an update on the facility. Mehlbrech reportedly spoke with USDVA staff the same day. Kolbeck explained IDPH didn’t have a phone conversation with Mehlbrech and the facility’s infection control nurse until November 11. Gov. JB Pritzker and IDVA Director Linda Chapa LaVia already announced the HFS Inspector General would conduct an independent investigation of the outbreak.
“Being a veteran, this is not acceptable,� Chapa LaVia said. “You know me in the past as being there and fighting for veterans� issues. I want to get to the bottom of this as much as you guys do as well. There has been conversation to get the mechanics in place for this investigation to get done sooner than later. I want it done now.�
Working while positive for COVID-19
Officials later broke down how they could allow staff that tested positive to continue working at the facility. Kolbeck said IDVA never required those individuals to come back to work. However, they were able to return as a last resort due to low staffing levels. Hart explained the CDC recognizes asymptomatic staff could work with individuals if they already had exposure to COVID-19. Still, they would have to separate from anyone testing negative.
“All of the patients with COVID-19 are together,� Hart said. “Any staff with COVID-19 are there. And they’re limited to that part or that wing of the facility.�
Illinois will start a program to vaccinate residents and staff at every veterans� home within the next 30 to 45 days.
Where are the IDPH officials?
IDPH officials declined to participate in the hearing due to the ongoing investigation, even though several IDVA officials spent nearly four hours answering questions.
“How is it possible for you to be present, but not a member of IDPH’s leadership team,� asked Rep. David Welter (R-Morris). “As legislators, I think that’s a pretty big question for a lot of us that I think we have concern about.�
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said the outbreak was a complete failure by the Pritzker administration and those in the facility that failed to follow safety protocols.
“We do, as a legislative body, have to get to the bottom of this,� said Committee Chair Stephanie Kifowit (D-Aurora). “We have to look at legislative changes or adjustments to notification systems or to other systems that would help our veterans and the families stay in tuned, in addition to reviewing training and protocol review and accountability.�
Kifowit told members she plans on holding another hearing after the holidays. The Senate Veterans� Affairs Committee held its first hearing on the outbreak on November 24.
