Cuomo blames nursing homes for the large number of deaths in their facilities despite the fact he ordered them to accept the patients. He claims they should have refused to take those ill with the COVID based upon any number of pretentious reasons.  

Not only did he direct the sick patients to be allowed to be moved from hospitals to the homes, he authored an order (*) prohibiting the homes from testing incoming patients. This was on the NY Health Dept website but has since been conveniently removed. 

(* “No resident shall be denied readmission or admission to the nursing home solely based upon a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID” *)

A CDC guideline provided a nursing home with the option of opting out if they didn’t believe they were ready to accept a COVID patient. Cuomo’s order gave them no such option. 

Yet he has now provided the nursing home executives with immunity. His immunity declaration actually provides nursing home execs with greater protection than deserved. It obviously applies to deaths resulting from following his order. But it increases the level of protection despite the degree of culpability of an exec. The immunity allows for exoneration in nearly all cases of negligence. 

A related point, not be ignored, was the absence of family members in these homes while the health of their relatives was possibly declining rapidly. We all know how important it is for any patient to have a strong advocate closely monitoring the patient and their environment. Peeking through a window at a potentially dying loved one does nothing to provide needed assistance. 

Relatives could have been allowed visits following temperature checks. Masks and “social distancing” were other options. 

The Guardian, which many consider a ‘lefty’, criticized Cuomo for giving immunity to nursing homes execs following large campaign donations in excess of two million dollars. Hmmmm!