NEW YORK STATE (AP/NEWS10) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo responded to criticism about his nursing home policies on Saturday. Over 4,500 recovering coronavirus patients were sent to New York’s already vulnerable nursing homes under a controversial state directive that was ultimately scrapped amid criticisms it was possibly accelerating the outbreaks.
That’s according to an Associated Press tally conducted after the state declined to release its own survey. Nursing homes later became hotbeds of infection.
Whatever the full number, the March 25 order requiring nursing homes to take recovering COVID-19 patients from hospitals has become a thorny political issue for Gov. Cuomo, who abruptly reversed the policy May 10, saying patients who are COVID-19 positive cannot be discharged to nursing homes.
Cuomo says the state was trying to follow the best federal guidance at the time.
“What New York did was follow what the Republican administration said to do. That’s not my attempt to politicize it. That’s my attempt to depoliticize it. So don’t criticize the state for following the president’s policy.”
Cuomo
In this March 24, 2020 photo, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference against a backdrop of medical supplies at the Jacob Javits Center that will house a temporary hospital in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in New York. Amid an unprecedented public health crisis, the nation’s governors are trying to get what they need from the federal government – and fast. But often that means navigating the disorienting politics of dealing with President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) 
In this April 17, 2020 file photo, emergency medical workers arrive at Cobble Hill Health Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York for an emergency call. On Thursday, April 23, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that nursing homes in New York must immediately report how they’ve complied with regulations for resident care during the coronavirus, and non-compliant facilities could face hefty fines or lose their licenses. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) 
In this April 17, 2020, file photo, a patient is wheeled into Cobble Hill Health Center by emergency medical workers in the Brooklyn borough of New York. On Thursday, April 23, 2020, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that nursing homes in New York must immediately report how they have complied with regulations for resident care during the coronavirus, and non-compliant facilities could face hefty fines or lose their licenses. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) 
In this April 17, 2020 file photo, a patient is wheeled out of Cobble Hill Health Center by emergency medical workers in the Brooklyn borough of New York. On Thursday, April 23, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that nursing homes in New York must immediately report how they’ve complied with regulations for resident care during the coronavirus, and non-compliant facilities could face hefty fines or lose their licenses (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) 
In this April 24, 2020 photo provided by the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Gov. Cuomo addresses the media while holding an n95 mask during his daily press briefing on COVID-19, Coronavirus, at the State Capitol in Albany, N.Y. The mask was sent to the governor by a retired farmer from Kansas whose wife only has one lung. (Darren McGee/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo via AP) 
In this Friday, April 17, 2020 file photo, a patient is wheeled out of the Cobble Hill Health Center by emergency medical workers in the Brooklyn borough of New York. The facility has listed dozens of deaths linked to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. In New York state, the nation’s leader in nursing home deaths, the Greater New York Hospital Association lobbying group wrote the first draft of an emergency declaration making it the only state with protection from both civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution arising from the pandemic, with the order signed by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) 
In this photo provided by the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Gov. Cuomo briefs the media during a coronavirus news conference at Marist College, Friday, May 8, 2020, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (Darren McGee/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo via AP)
New York leads the nation in nursing home deaths with about 5,700.
This count comes in time for Memorial Day Weekend, when, statewide, people will hold a vigil for hard-hit nursing homes.
Teena Willard, who lives at Albany Shaker Place Rehabilitation Center, spoke about her gratitude for people coming out to support her.
“It feels really good, because you feel—when you’re in the room all by yourself—you feel lonely. You feel like nobody cares. It makes me feel good that they’re out there trying to fight for us”
Teena Willard
Members of New York Caring Majority and Adapt Capital Region, who organized the event, say the purpose of the vigil is honoring and valuing the lives of the residents.
“We want to bring attention to the fact that disabled people are being put in a severely difficult situation in nursing facilities, where we are exposed to contagion and we are not able to be safe.”
Katy Caroll
Organizer with adapt capital REgion
They are lighting candles to say that no one is forgotten, and to call on the government to value the lives of residents, workers, seniors, and people with disabilities.
