25 February 2021: NY Lawmakers Want to Know How Many Cuomo's Deadly Directive Killed

Lawmakers probe if Cuomo's policy fueled nursing home deaths

This report describes New York Department of Health Director Howard Zucker's testimony before a committee in the New York state assembly. In the testimony, Zucker denied the Cuomo administration's 25 March 2020 directive forcing nursing home to blindly admit coronavirus patients discharged from hospitals played any role in spreading coronavirus infections among nursing home residents in the state. Pay close attention to how the question was set up for Zucker to answer below:

Sen. Dan Stec, a Republican, asked Zucker if he'd rather have his grandparent in a room of 20 out of 50 people infected with COVID-19, or a room with one out of 50 infected.

Zucker said he'd be equally concerned in either room: "Because the disease is ... already in the facility."

When asked whether the March directive contributed to outbreaks, Zucker said: "No."

Zucker added there could have been "that random person" who spread it, but said: "This memo was not the driver of nursing home fatalities."

We think Zucker contradicted himself with this particular testimony, as his denial does not follow the logic he affirmed in stating the risk that would exist for spreading COVID infections.

Meanwhile, other reports indicate Zucker remained silent on the status federal investigations involving New York's nursing home scandals, including whether subpoenas had been issued.