Veterans Homes COVID Report Released

Governor Mike Parson ordered an investigation this week following a 53-page independent investigative report into recent COVID deaths at Missouri veterans homes.

Governor Mike Parson ordered an investigation into recent COVID deaths at Missouri veterans homes

The report was compiled by St. Louis based Armstrong Teasdale. They found that the Missouri Veterans Commission headquarters failed to recognize the outbreak and failed to respond to the outbreak.

The report also accused the Commission Headquarters of failure to respond to the outbreak. It describes the Commission as being lulled into a false sense of security and failed to capitalize on its early successes in the spring.

The Armstrong Teasdale investigation shows that COVID cases jumped from two in August to 173 in September. Staff cases increased from eight in August to 74 in September. The Commission says 138 veterans living at state veterans homes have now died from COVID since September, including 29 in the past ten days.

The veterans home in northwest Missouri’s Cameron has had the most deaths, with 39. Cape Girardeau is second with 29. There have been 23 deaths in St. James, 16 in Warrensburg, 11 each in St. Louis and Mexico and nine at the veterans home in southwest Missouri’s Mount Vernon.

Armstrong Teasdale’s report makes dozens of recommendations, including calling on the Commission and veterans homes to develop a comprehensive COVID-19 outbreak plan, moving residents who currently share rooms and bathroom facilities to private rooms, employing a occupational health nurse on staff, and ensuring veterans in the homes are the priority when a vaccine is distributed.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story