Update: “The West Plains clinic will not be open tomorrow after all, due to additional time needed for analysis and cleaning,” said VA Clinic officials. “We apologize to our Veterans for any inconvenience, but are adhering to the strictest safety standards. We will keep you informed regarding whether the clinic will open on Friday. In the meantime, Veterans who have questions about their health care may reach our call center at 573-686-4151 during normal business hours.”
At approximately 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18, officials at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center were notified that an employee at the West Plains VA Clinic had received and opened an envelope containing an unknown white powdery substance. Clinic administration followed the existing emergency plan, contacted local fire and police authorities, and closed the clinic to have it professionally cleaned.
Drew A. DeWitt, Medical Center Director, indicated the facility is expected to resume normal operations on Thursday, and apologized for any inconvenience veterans experienced with the clinic’s early closure.
Local authorities are completing a full investigation.
