Gov. Cuomo Lied about Nursing Homes ‘Never Needing’ To Accept Wuhan Flu Patients

Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York was recently caught in a lie about his handling of the Wuhan Flu epidemic.

“So it just never happened in New York where we needed to say to a nursing home, ‘We need you to take this person even though they’re Covid-positive.’ It never happened,” said Gov. Cuomo of New York to Finger Lakes News Radio. He was referring to criticism over a hospital overflow policy which stipulated if the hospitals ran out of beds, nursing homes would be forced to accept patients. Cuomo claims these nursing homes were never forced to accept patients, but they were.

Regardless of whether or not the beds were needed, the government mandated nursing homes in New York accept those infected with the virus. The state’s health department released an advisory on March 25th which stated, “No resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the [nursing home] solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19.” It continued, “[Nursing homes] are prohibited from requiring a hospitalized resident who is determined medically stable to be tested for COVID-19 prior to admission or readmission.”

The mandate was heavily criticized, forcing Cuomo to issue an executive order on May 10th, requiring negative tests before admission. It was too late.

According to a report from the New York State Department of Health, “6,326 COVID-positive residents were admitted to [nursing home] facilities” between March 25th and May 8th due to Cuomo’s mandate requiring the homes to accept the readmission of those with positive tests.

The report goes on to say, “Approximately 37,500 nursing home staff members—one in four of the state’s approximately 158,000 nursing home workers—were infected with COVID-19 between March and early June 2020.” 

Whether or not the hospital directed patients to these homes for the beds is irrelevant. Cuomo didn’t protect American citizens living in nursing homes. He forced them to be around people infected with a deadly disease. Now he has the audacity to say, “I put my head on the pillow at night saying I saved lives, that’s how I sleep at night.” 

By July, 6,400 people had died in New York nursing homes, but at least Gov. Cuomo is getting a good night’s sleep.

Hat Tip: CNN, New York Department of Health, Finger Lakes Daily News, NY Times