2 August 2022: Cuomo Knew of Danger in Introducing COVID into Nursing Homes 10 Days Before Deadly Directive

Cuomo feared COVID 'fire' in nursing homes before notorious order: Kushner

If there was any question Andrew M. Cuomo knew enacting his deadly 25 March 2020 directive would have dire consequences, there's less doubt today following this report on part of Trump administration advisor Jared Kushner's forthcoming memoir. Here's an excerpt:

Then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the coronavirus could burn through nursing homes “like fire through dry grass” 10 days before he issued an infamous March 2020 executive order that required nursing homes to take COVID-19-positive patients, former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner reveals in an upcoming memoir.

Relatives of nursing home residents who died following Cuomo’s order told The Post the disclosure heightens their outrage and underscores the need for accountability.

Kushner wrote that Cuomo specifically mentioned possible nursing home horrors in a 30-minute phone call as Kushner helped lead the early White House pandemic response as infections mounted in New York.

In the March 15 call, Cuomo allegedly told Kushner, “For nursing homes, this could be like fire through dry grass.”

Cuomo’s subsequent March 25 order said nursing homes weren’t allowed to turn away patients “solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19,” which the families of victims said was a death sentence for vulnerable elderly residents....

Cuomo’s controversial nursing home policy remained in effect until May 10 and was intended to ease hospital crowding. Kushner does not go into detail on the nursing home scandal in his nearly 500-page tome, “Breaking History,” which is due out Aug. 23.

In other words, Cuomo knew the policy would constitute reckless endangerment for New York's nursing home residents, if not outright criminal negligence in contributing to excess COVID deaths in this highly vulnerable population.