Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie joined AM Tampa Bay to discuss the VA's COVID-19 Response.
The VA is ready for this emergency and began emergency preparedness exercises weeks before the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the U.S.
These actions were critical to the VA's ability to meet the specialized health care needs of Veterans to this day.
As a result of these early actions, VA facilities are equipped with supplies to handle an influx of patients.
They are screening all Veterans who enter our health care facilities for flu-like symptoms to ensure the safety of patients and staff, and we are administering coronavirus tests as needed.
The decision to test a patient depends on several factors, such as whether the patient has been in close contact with the virus, and whether the patient lives in an area where it is spreading.
The VA is taking special care of the two most vulnerable patient populations: nursing home residents and spinal-cord injury patients.
Any Veteran with symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath should immediately contact their local VA facility.
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