New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is trying to save face after the disastrous results of ordering nursing homes in the state to take in confirmed cases of COVID-19 in order to free up space in hospitals.
During his press conference on Monday, Gov. Cuomo said the safety of those in nursing homes has always been a "top priority" and went on to explain why staff will be required to be tested for the Wuhan coronavirus twice a week.
"We now have a top priority, which we had from day one, which is our nursing homes...The most vulnerable population in the most vulnerable place, senior citizens in a congregate facility...So protecting our nursing homes and seniors has been a top priority," he said. "Last week we put in place a requirement to test all staff at a nursing home twice per week. Why? Well, number one, it keeps the staff safe. Number two, if you see an increase in the positive among staff people, it’s an alert that you probably have a real problem in that nursing home because chances are the staff are getting it from the nursing home or giving it to people in the nursing home."
Gov. Cuomo issued the order in March and it was stopped until May. The state's official tally of nursing home deaths is 5,400, though the New York Post reports how death numbers from nursing home facilities do not match up what the state is reporting.
The Daily Caller reported the New York State Department of Health admitted to them that the state had been purposefully undercounting the number of deaths at long-term facilities and changing what constituted a death at such a facility or a hospital.
Unsurprisingly, Gov. Cuomo has said no should be sued over the decision to force nursing homes to take in positive COVID-19 patients.
"Despite whatever you do, because with all our progress as a society, we can't keep everyone alive," he said.
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