New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told a news conference on Monday that he made a “mistake” in failing to provide information about deaths in nursing homes from COVID-19 in a timely manner. But Cuomo continued to defend the way he and his government handled the crisis, saying that he would trust his top health advisor, Dr. Howard Zucker, “my mother’s care”.
Cuomo has long faced criticism for his government’s handling of the release of data related to COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes, which intensified last week when one of his top advisors admitted that they were concerned about the data was going to “be used against us”.
In recent weeks, the state has been forced to recognize that the death toll of nursing home residents is almost 15,000. The state had previously reported a death toll of 8,500 – a number that excluded residents who died after being taken to hospitals.
When asked if he would apologize for handling the nursing home data, Cuomo acknowledged on Monday a delay in releasing some results.
“The void we created by not providing information was filled with skepticism and cynicism and conspiracy theories that added to the confusion … you don’t provide the information, something will provide the information,” said Cuomo. “Above all, the void we have created has allowed misinformation.”
Although Cuomo was criticized by Republican and Democratic lawmakers – some of whom asked him to end his emergency powers or even be prosecuted – he insisted on Monday that members of the New York legislature and “senior legislative officials” should prioritize an investigation federal.
State lawmakers and the Justice Department requested information on deaths in nursing homes at the same time.
Aid Cuomo Melissa DeRosa told Democratic lawmakers last week that the government “froze” because “we were in a position where we didn’t know if what we were going to give the Department of Justice or what we gave you and what we started saying it would be used against us and we were not sure if there would be an investigation. ”
DeRosa’s comments were first reported by The New York Post.
In a move that has long been questioned, Cuomo on March 25 ordered that nursing home patients with COVID-19 be returned to nursing homes instead of being kept in hospitals. He later reversed the order.
Cuomo defended the measure as being in compliance with federal guidelines, adding that, at the time, the main priority was not to let hospitals be invaded. Cuomo insisted on Monday that there was “a lot of distortion” surrounding the March 25 memorandum, and said that patients were only welcomed into nursing homes if a particular house proved that they were able to accept them.
Of the 613 nursing homes in New York, Cuomo said 365 had received a patient from a hospital. Of the 365, Cuomo said that 98% already had COVID-19 on their premises.
“COVID did not enter health facilities by people coming from hospitals,” said Cuomo on Monday. “COVID entered nursing homes by employees entering nursing homes.”
Meanwhile, Cuomo announced on Monday that the New York subway system will now shut down only after 2 am. at 4 am on February 22. At the height of the pandemic in March, Cuomo announced that New York City’s famous 24-hour subway system would be shut down for deep cleaning from 1 am to 5 am
As the city began to ease COVID’s restrictions, many wondered how much the city would be able to reopen without the 24-hour subway service. In addition, there has been an increase in crime, as trains are sparsely populated, including an alleged wave of stab wounds that left two dead and two injured on train A over a 14-hour period on Friday.
Cuomo also said that the first case of the South African variant of COVID-19 was detected in a New York hospital.