A federal investigation has begun in response to a complaint alleging the Department of Veterans Affairs put healthcare workers at risk as they battled the COVID-19 outbreak.
Investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration sprung into action in response to a complaint by the VA union, according to ABC News, which cites a letter from the Labor Department. The complaint claims some employees who worked with coronavirus patients lacked proper protective gear and didn’t receive testing.
In total, at least 284 veterans treated at VA facilities have died from the illness. Among those treating the veterans, hundreds have become infected, and eight have died. The VA reportedly had a department policy early on in the pandemic that gave healthcare workers only one mask per week unless they directly treated or came into contact with a person diagnosed with the coronavirus.
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Veterans Health Administration chief Richard Stone said in an email to employees that workers at certain VA facilities are now receiving one mask per day. Veterans Affairs press secretary Christina Noel told ABC News that facilities are properly stocked with equipment.
“All VA facilities are equipped with essential items and supplies, and we are continually monitoring the status of those items to ensure a robust supply chain,” Noel said. She also explained that the VA had previously been more closely conserving protective equipment based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“VA’s PPE conservation posture is precisely why the department has not encountered any PPE shortages that have negatively impacted patient care or employee safety,” Noel said. “What’s more, VA today was able to return to a contingency — rather than crisis-capacity posture for PPE use.”
Individual facilities, both private and public, have come under scrutiny during the pandemic. Both the Justice Department and Massachusetts have initiated investigations into a nursing home for veterans where dozens have died.
There have been almost 680,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and more than 34,000 associated deaths across the United States.
