Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday that mistakes took place in the state’s disclosure of data. This is regarding COVID-19 pandemic deaths in New York state’s nursing homes. However, he brushed off allegations of wrongdoing. Cuomo needs to admit he did wrong and come clean to his constitutes in New York. The entire U.S. is watching him and waiting.
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “Defense”
Oh boy, here we go! Cuomo offered a “thorough” defense of his administration. This was in the wake of another tabloid’s explosive report that Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor. She apologizes to state lawmakers for holding back from them COVID-19 death data while they respond to requests last year from the Federal Department of Justice.
Andrew Cuomo Takes Responsibility
In fact, Cuomo said he would take responsibility “a void took place that allowed for the spread of disinformation. As well as politically-driven conspiracy theories. This was about his administration’s handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes serving the senior population most vulnerable to COVID-19. Especially if people with COVID-19 are put into these senior homes. This makes no sense: How can seniors stay well and survive if their fragile health is already in jeopardy? Hello!
Don’t Expect a Full Apology from Governor Andrew Cuomo – it’s Not Happening
Unfortunately, the governor stopped short of making a full apology. Or in fact, welcoming calls for further investigation that have shown up since last week’s combustive report. In addition, to the findings of State Attorney General Leticia James’ probe. Those findings concluded that the state Health Department underreported nursing home COVID-19 deaths.
Cuomo’s Rationale for What he Calls a “Communication Breakdown”
He insisted that the administration acted appropriately on the level, but had not benefitted from a months-long breakdown in communication that caused public scrutiny over its response to COVID-19 in nursing homes.
More anxieties for families of loved ones. There was a void we create unfortunately allowing for disinformation,” Cuomo said. “We didn’t want to aggravate a terrible situation. It was the last thing that we want to do and it was the last thing that I want to do as well.”
Cuomo has been dogged for months with questions about virus-related deaths in a nursing home. But, at the start of the COVID-crisis last spring, he was got praise initially for his response. Later, much of that scrutiny toward that response was related to the Health Department’s March memo on the readmission of nursing home patients that have been hospitalized with COVID-19 back into nursing homes.
