Poor planning has caused a deadly outbreak of COVID at LaSalle Veterans Home, state audit says

CHICAGO (CBS) – The new report blamed the lack of preparation and a small amount of follow-up for the COVID-19 outbreak, which killed 36 people at the State Veterans Home in LaSalle.

A recently published state audit found that when four COVID-19 cases were confirmed there in November 2020, testing was slow and inadequate.

The inspection also found that government officials did not visit the veterans’ home for several weeks after the outbreak.

Governor J. B. Pritzker accused Republicans of opposing security measures such as masks, saying it encourages visitors to ignore the rules and spread the virus.

Illinois Republican lawmakers say the audit shows the Pritzker administration failed to protect veterans at LaSalle.