CNN neurosurgeon and medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta said on Monday that he was “surprised” by the New York governor. Andrew Cuomo
Andrew CuomoScrutiny grows with the National Guard’s presence at the New York Capitol to allow for some indoor dinners starting on Valentine’s Day during the night. Health: Biden signs executive health actions to ‘undo the damage’ caused by Trump | COVID-19 cases fall, but variants point to dangers ahead | Novavax vaccine nearly 90 percent effective in trial, but not against South Africa variant MORE (D) cast doubt on the contribution of specialists in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
“When I say ‘experts’ in quotes, it seems that I don’t really trust the experts, because I don’t,” Cuomo said at a news conference on Friday.
Gupta responded to these comments in an appearance on CNN’s “The Lead” program.
“I’m really surprised at what he said,” Gupta told CNN’s Jake Tapper
Jacob (Jake) Paul TapperOfficials prepares for Trump’s second impeachment trial Sunday shows – Capital blocked before Biden Durbin’s inauguration says he won’t win votes for Trump’s second impeachment trial MORE. “I’m curious to talk to him and understand [and] clarify that a little bit. “
“It is true that New York was successful” in containing the pandemic, Gupta continued, but “they had terrible numbers in the spring of last year, but were able to control those numbers. A lot of that was because of the experts and because of the execution of plans that are sometimes a little difficult to understand at the time, but over time they actually make more and more sense ”.
Gupta came to agree with Tapper’s assessment that the comments were “irresponsible”, especially in light of the number of “people who are already hesitant” to take expert advice during the pandemic.
“They don’t believe in the virus, they don’t believe in receiving the vaccine, they don’t understand the value of the test,” he said. “If you start taking part of the credit from these experts, I think this is very, very damaging.”
The New York Times reported on Monday that nine senior state health officials stepped down, citing Cuomo’s leadership, including his failure to follow the State Department of Health’s vaccination plan, which predates the coronavirus pandemic.
Brother of Cuomo, Chris Cuomo
Chris CuomoOcasio-Cortez says lawmakers fear that colleagues will steal weapons in the House plenary Ken Burns says the United States is going through its fourth “big crisis”., is a network primetime host.
The Hill contacted Cuomo’s office for comment.