“The Department of Veterans Affairs released its 262-page response plan for the coronavirus pandemic Friday, in which the department predicts 30% of its employees will be unable to work because they or a family member will become sick.”
“The coronavirus outbreak could last 18 months or longer and include multiple waves of illness, the VA predicted. About 20% of people who test positive for the virus will require hospitalization, and 5% of those will require intensive care.”
“The VA also wrote in its plan that its facilities could see critical shortages of personal protective equipment for medical staff, hospital beds, ventilators and morgue space.”
“The plan was put together by the VA’s Office of Emergency Management. VA Secretary Robert Wilkie decided to publicly release the plan so other medical providers could learn from it and provide feedback, he said…”
“The VA included a list of goals: limit the spread of the coronavirus to veterans and staff, provide care for the infected, continue providing care to non-infected veterans and lend resources to the Department of Health and Human Services, as requested.”
“The VA operates 170 medical centers across the country and treats more than 9 million veterans. As of Friday, the department reported 571 positive coronavirus cases. Nine veterans have died…”
“While the VA’s response plan estimates 30% of its workforce could get sick or have a sick family member, the department predicted that even more staff could be gone from work because they need to stay with their children as states close schools. In total, the VA guessed up to 40% of its staff could be absent…” Read the full article here.
Source: VA predicts virus could affect 30 percent of its workforce – By Nikki Wentling, March 27, 2020. Stars and Stripes.
