Gov. Cuomo ordered nursing homes to accept patients from hospitals who tested positive for COVID-19 on March 25. His actions have resulted in the deaths of approximately 6,000 nursing home residents across New York state. The New York State Legislature is holding two hearings on Aug. 3 and Aug. 10 to examine the governor’s actions regarding nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Aug. 3 hearing focuses on facilities in New York City, Westchester and Long Island, while the Aug. 10 hearing focuses on upstate New York.

“Family members have lived in fear for the past five months as Gov. Cuomo put their loved ones in nursing homes at risk. Approximately 6,300 residents in nursing homes died because of our governor’s appalling decision making. This pandemic has clearly shown that one man shouldn’t have sole control over our state,” said Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R,C,I,Ref-Medford). “By watching the nursing home tragedies of Washington state unfold, Gov. Cuomo clearly knew that our nursing home residents were a high-risk population. The governor himself said that COVID-19 infections in nursing homes would be like ‘fire through dry grass,’ so to go ahead and force nursing homes to accept patients who tested positive for COVID-19 is completely unacceptable. The residents in these facilities are parents, grandparents, wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, and nobody deserves to live through the fear Gov. Cuomo put their loved ones through in the middle of a pandemic. As Gov. Cuomo continues to blame President Trump, I’m glad to see that the state Assembly and Senate are working together to investigate and hopefully hold him accountable for his deplorable actions.”

To watch the Upstate New York hearing on August 10, 2020 at 10 a.m., please click here.