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The New York State Department of Health (NYDOH) released results of an in-depth analysis of nursing home data Monday. The report found COVID-19 fatalities in nursing homes were related to infected nursing home staff.  But Congressman Tom Reed said the report is a "blatant attempt by Governor Cuomo to sidestep an ounce of accountability."  He added that "Justice is not served when the individuals who were responsible for the state’s deadly edicts are reviewing their own conduct."

"Placing the blame squarely on the staff who care for our grandparents -- when the state knowingly created COVID hotspots by forcing homes to accept COVID-positive patients -- is a slap in the face to those who lost a loved one," Reed said. "Even a cursory review of ADMA’s dire warning to New York State makes it clear what really contributed to New York’s horrific death toll."

NY State Senator Pam Helming also urged Cuomo and State Department of Health Commissioner Zucker to provide guidance to nursing homes to resume visits in a letter she sent them on Monday. Helming recently called for nursing homes to be able to independently take responsibility for drafting safe visitation plans, but complained no guidance from the Department of Health has been forthcoming and visitation still has not resumed.

"Businesses, hospitals, schools and many other entities have been encouraged to adopt plans according to guidance. Group homes have resumed visitation," Helming wrote. "Yet the silence and lack of direction surrounding nursing home visitation unacceptable. We must do better for our nursing home residents and their loved ones. They deserve answers."

The NYDOH report concluded:

• Data suggest nursing home quality is not a factor in mortality from COVID.
• Admission policies were not a significant factor in nursing home fatalities.
• Employee infections were related to the larger community spread and employee transmission has the strongest correlation to nursing home fatalities.

The report cited a New York Times article that found that in terms of the percentage of total deaths in nursing homes, New York State ranked 46th in the nation—meaning 45 states had a greater percentage of fatalities.  The article reported New York State nursing homes have suffered 6,432 COVID-19 related deaths.

The report concluded, "Our analysis brings to the forefront the possibility of transmission from staff as an important mode of transmission. If states had accurate information about COVID transmission at an earlier time and had the testing capacity to detect asymptomatic but infected individuals, other procedures might have been taken. For example, all asymptomatic employees should have been barred from facilities as if they were symptomatic, which is the current policy (See, Directive April 29, 2020 to Nursing Home Administrators). If widespread testing was available earlier, all employees could have been tested earlier (See, Executive Order 202.30, as amended). These are national issues that must be addressed (e.g. better training of staff, enhanced and rapid testing, and better coordination with other healthcare facilities) as nursing homes and other congregate settings will pose a continued risk for the Coronavirus or another public health threat in the future that attacks older adults."

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