A spokeswoman for Gov. Pritzker says, contrary to what Cong. Adam Kinzinger said on WCMY Thursday, the state accepted the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ offers to help handle a coronavirus outbreak at the veterans home in LaSalle. Jordan Abudayyeh says those offers included personal protective equipment on Nov. 5, an infection control consultation on the 9th, and more visits by infection control consultants after the 12th.
During a regularly scheduled live talk on WCMY, the Republican Congressman claimed the VA offered help at the veterans home every day and was turned down. He wondered if that was political–to oppose Pres. Trump. The outbreak has claimed 30 of the residents’ lives.
Abudayyeh’s statement says the VA provided thousands of masks to be used at LaSalle and the state’s other veterans homes. She says Dr. Amelia Bumstead with the VA is spending four to six weeks visiting the state’s veterans homes to improve infection control protocols and practices. Abudayyeh provided her statement (included below) to WCMY after the news department contacted the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs about Kinzinger’s allegations.
We also contacted the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We haven’t received a reply.
The original story about Cong. Kinzinger’s claims is at this link.
Pritzker Press Secretary Jordan Abudayyeh’s statment on the matter:
It is unclear what federal help Congressman Kinzinger is referring to. At the beginning of November, as the first positive cases were discovered at the LaSalle Veterans Home, the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) was in regular communication with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USVA). In fact, on November 5, USVA asked if the home needed assistance with PPE and the home administrator asked for additional N95 masks. USVA provided thousands of masks to be used at LaSalle and other veterans homes. On November 9, USVA asked IDVA if they would like to have an infection control consultation and IDVA responded yes. IDVA also asked for IDPH to conduct an onsite consultation as well. Both of those visits were completed just three days later, the recommendations were implemented and the reports were made public. After the site visit, USVA offered to make infection control experts available for further assistance and IDVA has requested that assistance. Dr. Amelia Bumstead with USVA is spending four to six weeks visiting all state veterans homes to improve infection control protocols and practices. Throughout this process both IDVA and USVA have continued their communication and the IDVA appreciates the help and support offered by their federal partners. An independent investigation is also currently underway, and as the Governor has said, if that investigation uncovers malfeasance, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.