“Ahead of Veterans Day last year, coronavirus wasn’t anywhere on Robert Wilkie’s priority list for his department. Now, a year later, the ongoing pandemic is the Veteran Affairs secretary’s top focus.”
“In the last seven months, the department has seen more than 80,000 cases and 4,000 deaths connected to coronavirus. And now, on the eve of Veterans Day 2020, a second wave of the illness is threatening even more casualties.”
“Like much of the rest of the world, the virus has upended a host of department plans and priorities, forcing massive changes in everyday VA operations. Burials were suspended for several months. Non-emergency medical appointments were delayed or shifted online. Tens of thousands of VA workers were pushing into telecommuting for the first time.”
“But Wilkie this week said he is proud of the department’s response to the pandemic so far, if still wary of the havoc it could still cause on veterans nationwide. He spoke with Military Times on Monday to outline what he sees as the successes of his 16 months leading the department and the state of the department now…” Read the full interview here.
Source: Amid pandemic, Veterans Affairs secretary sees reason for both optimism and worry – By Leon Shane III, November 10, 2020. Military Times.
