Quincy Reporter

A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs report investigating the COVID-19 infection rates at state-run veterans homes points to some of the chaos that existed early on in the Pritzker administration in the fight to control the virus.

In Quincy at Hammond Hall, from Oct. 31, 2020 to Jan. 10, 2021, data shows there were 44 residents who tested positive for the coronavirus with nine deaths, compared to 34 positive tests for staffers. Researchers also found positivity rates for staffers trended over time while for residents the outbreak came abruptly.

At Markwood Hall in Quincy, from Dec. 7, 2020 to Jan. 5, 2021 a total of 61 residents were known to contract the virus with nine deaths compared with 18 staff testing positive.

Again, positive tests among residents rose steadily, while positivity rates for staffers were much slower to register.

In addition to stressing the need for additional staffing and training, the Interagency Infection Prevention Project (IIPP) report highlighted the need for the facilities to establish an infection control position to at least partly oversee operations.

As of this month, the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) reports there have been 24 COVID-related deaths at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy. IDVA officials added since the start of the pandemic a little more than a year ago, the Quincy veterans facility has now experienced 134 resident cases of COVID and 168 employee cases.

On the same day the report was released, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced his administration has named 31-year U.S. Navy veteran Terry Prince director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, replacing former director Linda Chapa LaVia, who resigned earlier this year.