During a recent discussion, concerns were raised about the handling of COVID-19 in New York, particularly regarding the state's nursing homes. The focus was on a directive issued on March 25th, which required nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients without testing them first. This decision has been criticized for potentially leading to unnecessary deaths.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo faced scrutiny for claiming he was unaware of the directive until a month later, despite his high level of involvement in daily briefings and decision-making. The lack of accountability and refusal to apologize for the consequences of the directive have raised further questions.
It was highlighted that the language of the directive was more stringent than CDC and CMS guidelines, as it mandated rather than recommended actions. Nursing homes were not given the option to reject patients they couldn't care for, and the lack of proper PPE exacerbated the situation.
Questions were also raised about the utilization of additional resources like the U.S. Navy Comfort Ship and the Javits Center, which were available but not fully utilized. The discrepancy between the governor's statements and those of his administration officials has fueled calls for a public hearing to address these issues.
Overall, the discussion shed light on the need for transparency, accountability, and improved decision-making in handling public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
