ALBANY, N.Y. (1010 WINS) — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced she will open an independent probe into former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s coronavirus response, including the undercounting of nursing home deaths that were exacerbated by one of the former governor’s policies.
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Hochul served as lieutenant governor under Cuomo, who was forced to resign amid sexual harassment allegations and the revelation of a cover up of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.
In March 2020, Cuomo ordered nursing homes accept coronavirus patients who were still infectious in order to lessen the strain on overloaded hospitals.
Sending infectious patients back into nursing homes had a predictably deadly effect.
The Department of Health under Cuomo undercounted the number of COVID deaths in nursing homes — at times slashing the data by as much as 50%, according to a report from New York Attorney General Letitia James.
After the cover up was revealed in March 2021, New York admitted to over 15,000 nursing home deaths — the highest number of nursing home deaths in the country at the time, according to The New York Times.
Hochul said the probe will cover a range of pandemic response topics.
“We’re going to be covering the transfer policies related to medical procedures and hospitals and patient facilities” she said. “The transfer of individuals, vulnerable populations into congregate settings, homeless shelters, group homes, nursing homes, jails.”
Her order on Wednesday initiated a “request for proposals.” The state will issue a contract in September, and the chosen firm will start its investigation in November.
The contract will be issued for a year, but Hochul said she expects the investigation to last about six months.
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