Cuomo to testify on controversial COVID-19 nursing home policies

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO IS SET TO TESTIFY PUBLICLY BEFORE A HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE Tuesday – TO FACE QUESTIONs OVER HIS ADMINISTRATION’S CONTROVERSIAL NURSING HOME POLICIES DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THE HEARING WILL FOCUS ON TWO ISSUES: THE MARCH 2020 ‘MUST ADMIT’ ORDER THAT REQUIRED NURSING HOMES TO ACCEPT COVID-POSITIVE PATIENTS… AND THE SUBSEQUENT ALLEGATIONS THAT HIS ADMINISTRATION MANIPULATED DATA REGARDING NURSING HOME DEATHS.

THE admission DIRECTIVE is LINKED TO THOUSANDS OF SENIOR CITIZEN DEATHS AND RAISES SIGNIFICANT QUESTIONS ABOUT DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES DURING THE CRISIS.

MULTIPLE INVESTIGATIONS REVEALED SIGNIFICANT UNDERREPORTING OF DEATHS, RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES’ OFFICE UNCOVERED THAT THE CUOMO ADMINISTRATION HAD UNDERREPORTED NURSING HOME COVID-19 DEATHS BY MORE THAN 50%.

IN 2022, NEW YORK’S COMPTROLLER CONFIRMED THAT AT LEAST 41-HUNDRED NURSING HOME DEATHS DUE TO COVID-19 HAD BEEN OMITTED.

CUOMO HAS CALLED THE NURSING HOME DEATHS A “TRAGEDY” AND has shifted much of the blame to the U-S government’s reaction, stating, ‘I THINK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FAILED THIS NATION, AND IT WAS ABYSMAL,’ WHILE QUESTIONING WHY THE U.S. HAD THE HIGHEST COVID-19 DEATH TOLL GLOBALLY.

AS THE PUBLIC AWAITS CUOMO’S TESTIMONY, THE HEARING COULD BE A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN ASSESSING HOW THE PANDEMIC WAS HANDLED AND ITS IMPACT ON PUBLIC TRUST IN GOVERNANCE.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.