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* There are two parts to the latest WBEZ story on Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans’ Home in Quincy. One is the six-day period between August 21 of 2015, when Illinois Public Health Director Nirav Shah claimed the administration “realized that the situation was the beginning of an epidemic,” and August 27 of 2015 when the Rauner administration issued its first public notice about that epidemic…
In the email, Shah underlined “six days” for added emphasis, but it is not clear why. His reference to a “typical reporting protocol” also is not fully explained, with a spokeswoman on Wednesday saying there is no “hard and fast rule” about when the public must be notified about an infectious disease outbreak. […]
One of the nation’s top infectious disease experts said it’s “mind boggling” that the state would wait six days to notify the public about the initial outbreak at the Illinois Veterans Home.
“I think it’s really inexcusable,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Center for Health Security in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. “It takes you six days from seeing an epidemic to tell people that you’re seeing an epidemic? That’s six days that you’ve allowed that disease to spread in a manner that probably wouldn’t have happened if you would have known earlier because people would have been taking action. People would have been asking questions.
“If you know there is an epidemic, you need to tell people immediately,” Adalja said.
Keep in mind that Legionnaires’ is not typically passed from person to person. So, it wasn’t an “epidemic” in the way, say, measles can be. But by not informing the public, facility residents and their families couldn’t take precautions against the epidemic - like getting tested if they showed symptoms, or even temporarily moving out.
What’s worse to me is that top government officials knew what was going on and apparently didn’t order testing of everyone showing symptoms and then people died as a result.
* The second revelation in today’s story is about more Legionnaires’ cases this year that were not previously disclosed to the public…
Meanwhile, Illinois public health officials are now telling WBEZ that five residents and one employee at the Illinois Veterans’ Home in Quincy were sickened by Legionnaires’ in 2017. That outbreak included one fatality, an 88-year-old Korean War veteran from west suburban Lisle in early November.
As recently as two weeks ago, the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, which manages the Quincy home, had confirmed just three cases to WBEZ and disputed that Legionnaires’ caused the veterans’ death last month. But the coroner in Adams County confirmed Legionnaires’ as a cause of death on the resident’s death certificate.
In late October, when the state confirmed two cases of Legionnaires’, including the fatality, WBEZ explicitly asked a state Veterans’ Affairs spokesman whether there had been any additional cases. The spokesman responded by email saying there had not been. In a Dec. 6 interview with WBEZ, Jeffries also cited three cases.
But this week, after learning more cases did exist in 2017 beyond those two — and a later case in November that the state disclosed — WBEZ was told by state public health authorities that, in fact, six Legionnaires’ cases have been logged this year at the Quincy facility.
Arnold, the state Public Health spokeswoman, said on Wednesday that one case occurred in March, another in May, another in September, two in October, and one in November. She did not provide any other details about those cases.
What the heck is going on over there?
* Meanwhile…
Rauner defended his administration’s handling of the problem of Legionnaires in the water at Quincy Veterans’ Home in downstate Illinois which has led to 13 deaths since a major outbreak in 2015.
However, are demanding details and accountability.
“If he’s in charge he definitely bears responsibility, but you have to ask him if he’s in charge,” said state Sen. Tom Cullerton, chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee.
Cullerton said he hopes to get answers during a hearing next month. The joint Senate and House hearing on the Quincy situation is set for Jan. 9 in Chicago.
“Who knew what, when they knew it, why the families weren’t there, what the long term goal is, what the CDC’s going to do going forward,” Cullerton said.
…Adding… Pritzker campaign…
“Bruce Rauner’s willful negligence is coming into focus as reports expose significant delays in releasing information and a failure to report all confirmed Legionnaires’ cases,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “This administration hid information from Veterans, their families, and the public as Rauner let a health crisis spiral out of control and our nation’s heroes died on his watch.”
…Adding… Ives campaign…
“The Governor has a moral responsibility to those who are served by the state. He must ensure that services are delivered efficiently, meet the highest standards possible, and that they are, ultimately sustainable. When it becomes clear that the state is not living up to those responsibilities, the Executive Officer must then respond with urgency.
“Since his election in 2014, it become clear that Governor Rauner is very cavalier with other people’s lives. While Rauner plays his blame-shifting game with other IL ruling class pols, veterans died. Preventable deaths aren’t prevented when no one is in charge. Sweeping issues under the rug and breaking promises has become a common theme. This is another inexcusable betrayal of our veterans and the benefits they earned protecting our freedoms. Wasn’t Bruce Rauner the guy with business savvy who was going to make state government more efficient and responsive? He is AWOL and Illinois veterans are being short-changed as a result.”
…Adding… DGA…
“Bruce Rauner failed Illinois veterans and now he’s failing the public by not being honest,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “So far, there’s been no accountability from Rauner’s administration for its bungled response to the Quincy outbreak. Rauner needs to stop hiding information, and start being open and transparent about what his administration knew and how it failed the veterans at Quincy.”
* Related…
* Drink water at vets’ home linked to deaths? ‘Absolutely,’ Rauner says: Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday defended his administration’s response to a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at a state veterans’ home, saying he’d “absolutely” drink the water there. “Absolutely, absolutely,” Rauner said when asked by a reporter about drinking the tap water at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy, where 13 residents have died from Legionnaires’ disease since July 2015.
* CDC: How It Spreads: After Legionella grows and multiplies in a building water system, that contaminated water then has to spread in droplets small enough for people to breathe in. People can get Legionnaires’ disease when they breathe in small droplets of water in the air that contain the bacteria. Less commonly, people can get Legionnaires’ disease by aspiration of drinking water. This happens when water “goes down the wrong pipe,” into the trachea (windpipe) and lungs instead of the digestive tract. People at increased risk of aspiration include those with swallowing difficulties.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 8:32 am
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Ask Rauner, instead, to take a shower there and wash some dishes in the kitchen, and see how fast that “absolutely” changes to a smirk and a snide laugh. WBEZ cannot be thanked enough for their investigation. Maybe Frontline will cover this sometime when Trumputin isn’t taking up so many of the headlines.
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 8:40 am
Let’s throw a wreath or 2 in lake Springfield,we will feel all better, like on Dec.7th. Just saying.
Comment by Red rider Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 8:59 am
THIS will be the issue that will the unraveling of BR’s re-election bid. Not that there’s not so many others…but you can’t be the CEO of a state (err, the GOVERNOR) and come back from his debacle. This story just gets worse.
Comment by New Slang Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:02 am
not to make light of a tragic story, but I can’t help but think of this after the Governor promised he’d “absolutely” drink the water there:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1fj6HjCN8ok
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:02 am
This is your NRI, Bruce.
Karma just got you.
Oh, yeah: and Jason Barickman — how about you reach deep for all that righteous rage you had about NRI?
Shouldn’t be too hard, Jason.
In this case, folks died.
Comment by Macbeth Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:03 am
A toast to the Governor … chug a lug Bruce.
Comment by Sonny Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:04 am
Heard WBEZ’s Tony Arnold on the radio this morning.
IDVA and IDPH aren’t telling the same story.
Someone is lying.
Rauner needs to account for the discrepancies in his own agencies’ stories.
Comment by Sugar Corn Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:16 am
“spokeswoman on Wednesday saying there is no “hard and fast rule” about when the public must be notified about an infectious disease outbreak.”
There are no hard and fast rules about a lot of things because you can’t develop a protocol for every eventuality. We trust our ‘leaders’ to have a modicum of common sense and morality that serves the best interests of everyone concerned.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:17 am
In September 2015, Legionella was discovered in the cooling systems of several schools in Elgin district U46. Within an hour, those schools were being evacuated and students were not allowed to return to those schools until the systems were thoroughly cleaned and retesting came back clear.
Stunning that the administrators in Quincy didn’t appear to even consider a similar response.
Comment by Bluefish Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:21 am
However I feel about Bruce Rauner, he is not the director of the facility and is not responsible for day-to-day operations there. It seems that the director and medical staff did not take vigorous action to protect residents.
Comment by NoGifts Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:30 am
Is there any evidence that the Governor’s office prevented veteran’s home staff from taking reasonable actions to protect residents? Or turned down requests for additional resources?
Comment by NoGifts Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:35 am
=IDVA and IDPH aren’t telling the same story.
Someone is lying.
Rauner needs to account for the discrepancies in his own agencies’ stories.=
One explanation:
Under Rauner, all the public agency spokespeople are essentially Governors’ Office spokespeople, and their every public statement is vetted by the Governor’s office before it is released. Any dichotomy then is from an internal disagreement or mis-understanding within the Governor’s Office. Which is what you get when the political arm and the administrative arm are not kept apart.
BTIA strikes again.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:39 am
Another example of Rauner’s Allstar team. There is no excuse to wait six days before declaring an epidemic and begin enhanced survelliance and testing. Perhaps if Director Shaw has focused more attention had completed a residency and become a licensedbecame a licensed MD instead of focusing on his career as an attorney he would have a better grasp of the importance of good public health practices.
Comment by Frustrated Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:42 am
Is it Rauner’s responsibility to personally run the tests needed at Quincy and be physically involved with the cleanup? Where is the med director, safety officer, building sup, and facility CEO who work there everyday?
Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:43 am
I am just wondering which television commercial we will watch more this fall- Plumbers removing toilets in a Gold Coast mansion or Veterans dying in a contaminated State facility??
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:46 am
From the WBEZ report (see Rich’s “about the epidemic” link at top)-
“On Oct. 16, 2015, Illinois Public Health Director Nirav Shah wrote an email to Linda Lingle, the former state chief operating officer who appeared to be acting as an intermediary between Rauner and his cabinet members during the first Legionnaires’ outbreak in the summer of 2015, which would ultimately kill 12 people and sicken dozens more.
According to emails obtained through a public records request, Lingle requested a detailed timeline about the administration’s public communications efforts during the period when the disease initially began unfolding. The first public news release on the outbreak came Aug. 27, 2015, when the state disclosed eight confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ at the facility. The next day, two residents were reported dead from the bacteria, which can cause the fatal form of pneumonia associated with Legionnaires’.”
***
So Lingle had requested a detailed timeline. Was that ever sent to her? Also, it would be interesting to see the emails between her and the Rauner Administration. It’s going to come out, one way or another. The hearing next month is vital. The hope is no one else gets sick or dies between now and then.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/former-hawaii-gov-linda-lingle-says-aloha-rauner-administration/
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:48 am
@Bluefish- the U46 admin acted so quickly because 1)schools plan and prepare to handle crisis and most importantly 2) the U 46 admin and staff actually care about the people and students in their buildings.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:49 am
the govenors calendar can explain why he was MIA, or madigans POW
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:49 am
Is governor Rauner, who has been in office for 3 years, responsible for deplorable state buildings, and responsible for old water infrastructure and 30 years of deferred maintenance at the State’s oldest veteran’s home, which has been defunded by the General Assembly, which chose to divert taxpayer revenue from social services to State and local employee pensions and benefits?
The governor should be held responsible for the response to the crisis, but every General Assembly member should take responsibility for the root cause, which also includes hundreds of people who have been sickened and killed by asbestos, mold and other environmental issues at deplorable state buildings.
Comment by Kay-Ro Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:52 am
==Is there any evidence that the Governor’s office prevented veteran’s home staff from taking reasonable actions to protect residents? Or turned down requests for additional resources?==
Man you raunerbots never give up, I’ll say that for you. Blame Madigan, blame front line workers, blame anyone - just not Bruce, huh? I guess it’s a good thing he never promised you and every other voter in Illinois that he would be a responsible governor who would “take the arrows” when things go wrong.
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:55 am
To the apologists, how much responsibility does the Governor bear? Of course he doesn’t “personally run the tests needed” at Quincy, but he withheld funding for agencies all across the state, drove people away from public service and demonized big bad government while seeking an ‘opportunity for transformation.’ When you starve government, not just trimming budgets, but just not doing a budget and you know like pay for things, there are consequences. There was unprecedented destruction committed under his direction. So situations like this one is what you get. Please see Flint, Michigan for another example. So, no the Governor isn’t removing the last brick when a building collapses, but he’s supposed to do the budgeting and the hiring and the prioritizing and set the tone and lead by example, but he’s failed in those areas,so he’s responsible. It’s bad enough him shirking and deflecting and largely getting away with it until earlier this year, and here we have people dead from avoidable illnesses and there are still those apologizing for the poor Governor? Find someone who deserves pity.
Comment by OG Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:57 am
This will be a hard one to blame on Madigan.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:58 am
Bruce, IANIC, and refusing to acknowledge moral resposibility for these deaths:
Please explain how speaker madigan caused these deaths, or kept you from demanding an immediate effective response.
Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:58 am
Rauner apologists: the buck stops where? (Appreciating that was a Democratic chief executive who had that sign on his desk.)
Comment by Moe Berg Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 10:01 am
I guess there figured out there isn’t “any way we can blame Duckworth?”
Comment by Sonny Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 10:06 am
Besides showerin’ and washin’ dishes, GovJunk might want to sleep under one the HVAC vents a few nites.
But let’s be reasonable, perhaps GovJunk was usin’ all energy on the Cairo Public Housing crisis or figurin’ out how the auto plant got sold without him knowin’ about or …..
Comment by Annonin'NN Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 10:07 am
NoGifts, this is the kind of event that should be flying up the flag pole right quick.
I cannot think of a good reason that the Governor’s office should have not been notified within hours of the finding and have been directing a significant response within 24 hours.
Comment by Anonish Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 10:07 am
Just to make sure I have this straight, so far the raunerbot list of people that should take responsibility for missteps in this case before Bruce gets any blame whatsoever now includes:
-facility CEO
-building superintendent
-doctors
-nurses
-water quality testers
-contractors hired to clean system
-safety officer (whatever that is)
-Erica Jeffries
-Nirav Shah
-agency spokespersons
-every single person who has ever served in the Illinois general assembly
-Tammy Duckworth
Did I miss anyone? You guys got anyone else you want to throw under the bus to give cover to ya boy Bruce?
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 10:14 am
==- Frustrated - Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 9:42 am:
Another example of Rauner’s Allstar team. There is no excuse to wait six days before declaring an epidemic and begin enhanced survelliance and testing. Perhaps if Director Shaw has focused more attention had completed a residency and become a licensedbecame a licensed MD instead of focusing on his career as an attorney he would have a better grasp of the importance of good public health practices.==
{sigh} I’m sure this is Madigan’s fault too. If he is not licensed, can he used MD after his name?
Comment by Sigh Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 10:24 am
Does the way the Rauner administration handled this really surprise anyone? They made it clear from day 1 that their raison d’etre was to fight a propaganda war against the democratic status quo. They didn’t prioritize governing or running the thousands of state operations that they were responsible for. They prioritized taking shots at Madigan and anyone else who wouldn’t fall in line with their plans (eg media, courts).
When we were going through the 2+ years without a budget, many on this blog voiced their concerns that the failure to properly operate state functions would cause deaths. Did the Rauner administration ever take that into consideration? No. In fact the opposite is true when we have the Guv whine to the tribbies that he was disappointed how the stalemate ended.
From what has been disclosed so far, it seems like the folks in the administration prioritized how this would harm the Guv over how it would harm the veterans living at the center. I understand part of their jobs is to protect the Guv, but not over the lives of citizens.
This administration has been shameful on so many levels. But we all know it isn’t just the Guv. In fact what has been made clear lately is that the Guv is pretty incompetent at this stuff. Which just illustrates the complicity and culpability of his chief staffers.
Comment by Henry Francis Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 10:49 am
@Sigh - he has a medical degree, so, yes, he can use the M.D. title, regardless of whether or not he has practiced medicine.
Comment by ??? Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 11:34 am
==- ??? - Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 11:34 am:
@Sigh - he has a medical degree, so, yes, he can use the M.D. title, regardless of whether or not he has practiced medicine.==
Does the Medical Practice Act agree with your interpretation?
Comment by Sigh Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 11:45 am
=Does the Medical Practice Act agree with your interpretation?=
I was curious so I looked it up.
Sec. 28. Nothing in this Act shall prohibit the use of the titles “Doctor of Medicine” or “M.D.” by a person licensed in this State to practice medicine in all of its branches who has received a degree in medicine from a medical school or college, other than an osteopathic medical college, which satisfies the requirements of paragraph (a) of Section 11 of this Act, notwithstanding that such degree in medicine does not translate literally into “Doctor of Medicine” or “M.D.”.
(Source: P.A. 85-4.)
Comment by Olivia Pope Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 12:39 pm
Olivia—- can you translate that section into English?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 1:04 pm
Simple translation. No medical license, no MD, as required by law to be Director of Public Health. He is a career attorney, not a health professional.
Comment by Frustrated Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 1:12 pm
–This is your NRI, Bruce.–
Who died because of NRI?
Rauner has attempted in his tenure to be a dilettante uber-legislator. He has said nothing was worth doing if he didn’t get his legislative agenda passed.
Clearly, that included being a hands-on CEO of the executive branch, which is the really big part of the gig he signed up for.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 1:42 pm
Read this interview with Shah from 2015 whilst thinking about the current issues with the VA home in Quincy- especially the measles outbreak and his work with budgets in Cambodia…
https://tinyurl.com/y9cndazz
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 1:45 pm
Anonish - if there was a fire at the facility, it would be up to the director to take appropriate action. I don’t see this situation much differently. It isn’t the director’s job to wait for the governor to tell him how to address an emergency, it is his job to do it and report back. The administrator is award winning with lots of experience, apparently. http://khqa.com/news/state/new-administrator-announced-for-illinois-dept-of-veterans-affairs
Comment by NoGifts Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 1:49 pm
—
Who died because of NRI?
—
Right. That’s the point.
Comment by Macbeth Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 2:33 pm
@Sigh - it has nothing to do with the Medical Practice Act. The “MD” signifies he got his Doctor of Medicine degree, period.
@Frustrated - According to 20 ILCS 5/5-235, the director of IDPH is not required to be licensed to practice medicine.
Comment by ??? Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 2:46 pm
=@Sigh - it has nothing to do with the Medical Practice Act. The “MD” signifies he got his Doctor of Medicine degree, period.
@Frustrated - According to 20 ILCS 5/5-235, the director of IDPH is not required to be licensed to practice medicine.=
However if the Director is not a licensed physician, then a medical director must be appointed.
So you disagree with: Section 11 of this Act, notwithstanding that such degree in medicine does not translate literally into “Doctor of Medicine” or “M.D.”. To me that’s pretty clear and if one isn’t licensed, sounds to me like one should not be using M.D., because people assume Dr. as a result of the M.D.
Comment by Sigh Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 3:18 pm
The MD is a reference to the degree that was conferred and not the license. So assuming he graduated med school, he can use MD.
Comment by Juice Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 3:39 pm
“Nothing in this Act shall prohibit the use of the titles “Doctor of Medicine” or “M.D.” by a person licensed in this State to practice medicine in all of its branches who has received a degree in medicine from a medical school…”
“… by a person licensed …” No license, no MD. The graduate degree does not confer the MD. The license confers the MD.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 3:51 pm
@Sigh - all that is saying is that anyone who is licensed to practice medicine may not use the title M.D. if they did not receive a Doctor of Medicine degree. Shah did. The Act does not say that only people who are licensed physicians can use M.D.
Comment by ??? Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 3:52 pm
To clarify: anyone who receives a Doctor of Medicine degree may use the M.D. title. Anybody who has NOT received a Doctor of Medicine degree cannot use the M.D. title, whether thay are licensed to practice medicine or not.
Comment by ??? Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 4:01 pm
Also, what Sec. 28 is saying is that osteopaths may not use “M.D.” even though having a D.O. allows them to be licensed to practice medicine.
Comment by Juice Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 4:16 pm
=@Frustrated - According to 20 ILCS 5/5-235, the director of IDPH is not required to be licensed to practice medicine.=
??? - you are correct that the director doesn’t have to be a licensed physician, but if not licensed, the same statue that your referenced indicates there shall be a Medical Director. Interesting that the Medical Director shall be responsible for “the State’s response to disease prevention and outbreak management and control.”
But in the case of the Quincy VA Home, Shah has been the IDPH representative communicating with the Governor’s office, quoted in the state issued press releases, and talking to the CDC (that memo) and Rich. So do we have a Medical Director?
(20 ILCS 5/5-235) (was 20 ILCS 5/7.03)
Sec. 5-235. In the Department of Public Health.
(a) The Director of Public Health shall be either a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches in Illinois or a person who has administrative experience in public health work at the local, state, or national level in accordance with subsection (b).
If the Director is not a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, then a Medical Director shall be appointed who shall be a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches. The Medical Director shall report directly to the Director. If the Director is not a physician, the Medical Director shall have primary responsibility for overseeing the following regulatory and policy areas:
(1) Department responsibilities concerning hospital
and health care facility regulation, emergency services, ambulatory surgical treatment centers, health care professional regulation and credentialing, advising the Board of Health, patient safety initiatives, and the State’s response to disease prevention and outbreak management and control.
(2) Any other duties assigned by the Director or
required by law.
(b) A Director of Public Health who is not a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches shall at a minimum have the following education and experience:
(1) 5 years of full-time administrative experience
in public health and a master’s degree in public health from (i) a college or university accredited by the North Central Association or (ii) any other nationally recognized regional accrediting agency; or
(2) 5 years of full-time administrative experience
in public health and a graduate degree in a related field from (i) a college or university accredited by the North Central Association or (ii) any other nationally recognized regional accrediting agency. For the purposes of this item (2), “a graduate degree in a related field” includes, but is not limited to, a master’s degree in public administration, nursing, environmental health, community health, or health education.
(c) The Assistant Director of Public Health shall be a person who has administrative experience in public health work.
(Source: P.A. 97-798, eff. 7-13-12.)
Comment by Olivia Pope Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 4:58 pm
Olivia - I know IDPH had a Medical Director at the time Shah was appointed and that that M.D. was heavily involved in the response to previous disease outbreaks. He left a few years ago. I’m not sure if he left before or after the Legionnaire’s outbreak in 2015. To be honest, I’m not sure who the Medical Director is now, if there is one.
To be clear, I’m not defending Shah in this situation. I’m not too impressed with him in general, to be honest. I was just responding to the original question about whether he was “allowed” to use the MD title and also the incorrect assertion that the agency director is required to be licensed to practice medicine.
Comment by ??? Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 5:25 pm
All of you picking pepper out of fly stuff on the degrees….
…you know Rauner is the chief executive of the state, right?
He’s in charge of the executive branch.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 6:09 pm
Wordslinger - judging from his recent comments to teporters, he doesn’t realize that.
Comment by ??? Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 6:28 pm
—
Wordslinger - judging from his recent comments to teporters, he doesn’t realize that.
—
He realizes it. He doesn’t want to do it. That’s not the job he wanted.
He wanted to bust unions. That hasn’t happened. There’s not much else for Bruce.
Comment by Bobby T Thursday, Dec 21, 17 @ 8:13 pm