Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois' auditor general recently released a report related to the 2020 COVID outbreak at LaSalle Veterans' Home which led to the deaths of 36 residents. State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Westmont) criticized the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for its response to and handling of the outbreak.

"It is completely unacceptable for our state health agency to have ignored such an alarming outbreak affecting veterans entrusted to the state's care. Those responsible should in no way be able to remain at IDPH," Mazzochi posted on Facebook on May 5.

After the November 2020 outbreak, the Illinois legislature passed a resolution calling for Auditor General Frank Mautino's office to perform an audit. Although that audit placed little blame on the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the more recent report finds more fault with the agency.

The report points to delayed COVID testing as a potential contributor to the outbreak, according to WQAD. The report also states that health officials "did not offer any advice or assistance as to how to slow the spread at the facility, offer to provide additional rapid COVID-19 tests, and were unsure of the availability of the antibody treatments for long-term care settings prior to being requested by the IDVA (Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs) Chief of Staff." The report calls for the IDVA to establish COVID testing procedures in all veterans' facilities.

IDPH officials neglected to visit LaSalle Veterans' Home for two weeks after the outbreak was first reported, according to The Pantagraph. During the onsite visit, officials discovered a lack of personal protective equipment such as face masks, staff members recording their own temperatures, and ineffective hand sanitizer being used. According to the auditor general's report, IDPH "did not identify and respond to the seriousness of the outbreak."