New York Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo is blaming everyone but himself over his reckless nursing home mandate during the COVID-19 outbreak that resulted in thousands of deaths.
During a press briefing this week, Cuomo was asked if he had regrets over the nursing home mandate and he shifted the blame to President Trump.
The New York Post reports:
Critics should “ask President Trump” about it, the governor said Wednesday, arguing that the federal government actually cooked up the mandate — and that New York was just following Washington’s lead.
Under Cuomo’s watch, a New York State mandate was issued March 25 requiring nursing home residents to be readmitted even though they tested positive.
The readmission policy said, “No resident shall be denied readmission or admission to the [nursing home] solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19,” according to Newsday.
It’s reported over 5,300 nursing home deaths happened in New York due to the virus.
Shockingly, Cuomo continued the mandate until May 10.
NBC New York reports:
Hospitals cannot release patients to nursing homes in New York unless the patient tests negative for the virus, Cuomo said Sunday. The governor’s announcement is a reversal of sorts from a March order by the state’s health department requiring nursing home to accept recovering patients.
Cuomo also blamed the elderly last week saying, “Older people, vulnerable people are going to die from this virus. That is going to happen despite whatever you do.”
Even more controversial is news from The Daily Caller investigative group that New York changed the reporting of COVID-19 deaths among nursing home and adult care facilities, confirmed by the New York State Department of Health.
The Daily Caller reports:
But the department made a subtle change to its disclosures beginning around May 3, according to web archives. The NYSDOH told the DCNF its disclosure now only reports coronavirus deaths for long-term care patients that died while physically present at their facility.
Cuomo’s nursing home mandate highlights his lack of compassion and common sense considering there were options available for patients who tested positive for COVID-19.
The Washington Times reports:
The policy of requiring coronavirus patients to go from hospital to a nursing home, regardless of whether they still harbored the virus, while forbidding nursing homes from refusing them, was even more perplexing considering the federal government had sent the hospital ship Comfort to provide additional support and beds, as well as establishing the Javits Center as a massive field hospital with an additional 1,700 beds.
As questions surround Cuomo’s handling of the nursing home mandate, New York Republican Representative Elise Stefanik and others are calling for a federal investigation.
We must protect our most vulnerable.
We need answers on the tragedy of nursing homes throughout this pandemic.
Families have written to me who have lost both parents in facilities in NYS. Rather than dismiss these concerns like NY, we need answers.https://t.co/OIHzvwtoJs
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) May 18, 2020
While families are hurting and calling for justice over the loss of their loved one, Cuomo is showing a complete lack of character by blaming others including President Trump for his horrible mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis.
