This is a story that has gone largely unreported.
Soon after the Chinese Wuhan COVID 19 virus reached the West coast it became apparent that the elderly were particularly vulnerable and susceptible. This is from March 11
Before the coronavirus hit the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, 120 seniors lived there. Now there are fewer than 50.
The long-term care facility, about 20 minutes north of Seattle, has been battling a coronavirus outbreak for weeks. Since the outbreak started, 26 of the center’s residents have died, 13 of whom were confirmed to have COVID-19, the disease the coronavirus causes. Some others who died have not yet been tested.
King County’s public-health agency said in a statement on Tuesday that 19 deaths in Washington had been linked to the Life Care Center outbreak.
Given that the US’s death toll sat at 31, the fatalities tied to the center made up 61% of the nation’s total.
Washington is not alone. More than half of all Chinese COVID 19 fatalities in Connecticut are in nursing homes. The elderly were and are vulnerable.
Andrew Cuomo didn’t care.
Cuomo, in some venues described as the “Golden Governor”, has been wrong about nearly everything, from the need for ventilators to the number of beds. Worst of all, he’s been very wrong about his handling of elderly COVID patients. He made sure that elderly COVID patients were sent to nursing homes
Gov. Cuomo doubled down Sunday on the state’s controversial directive ordering nursing homes to admit COVID-19 patients.
The governor — who himself has described nursing homes as a “feeding frenzy’’ for the deadly coronavirus — said that the facilities can’t challenge a state regulation forcing them to admit patients with the contagion.
But he insisted that nursing homes could transfer those ill with the virus to another facility if the centers lacked such things as quarantine space, proper protective equipment and staff.
Asked by a reporter at his daily briefing Sunday if there was anything contradictory about his statements, the governor replied, “No.”
Sending the infected elderly to nursing homes was a death sentence for many. Yet he demanded that they be taken in
New York’s nursing homes weren’t allowed to challenge a controversial order to admit patients with the coronavirus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday — even though it’s been blamed for spreading the deadly disease among residents.
“They don’t have a right to object. That is the rule and that is the regulation and they have to comply with that,” Cuomo said during his daily briefing in Albany.
“And the regulation is common sense: if you can’t provide adequate care, you can’t have the patient in your facility and that’s your basic fiduciary obligation — I would say, ethical obligation — and it’s also your legal obligation.”
They had to admit then infected elderly patients and then declare themselves unable to care for them, THEN they might be able to transfer the ill to a facility – you know, like a boat or a Javits Center where they were prepared to handle such patients.
Where thousands of beds went unused.
No, Cuomo insisted they go to and infect the nursing homes. It has been a tragedy
At the Cobble Hill Health Center in Brownstone Brooklyn, alone, 55 patients have died during the outbreak — the highest toll in the state.
Forty five patients died at the Kings Harbor Multicare Center in The Bronx, the next highest death toll among the city’s nursing homes.
Forty four patients died at both the Franklin Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Queens and the Carmel Richmond facility on Staten Island.
Another 40 people died at the Holliswood Center for Rehabilitation in Queens.
Thirty five patients died at the Plaza Rehab and Nursing Center in The Bronx and 34 perished at the Bensonhurst Center for Rehabilitation in Brooklyn.
As of April 21 nearly one quarter of all the deaths in New York were in nursing homes.
Former Governor George Pataki called Cuomo’s plan a “disaster.”
In Lyon, France an elderly nursing home stayed in lockdown for 47 days. Afterwards everyone tested negative. Four patients passed, but none from COVID 19.
That’s success.
Cuomo’s arrogant self-righteousness and lengthy powerpoint press conferences have made him a national figure and drawn some degree of idolization
Cuomo’s commanding response has made him an object of national fascination. Rolling Stone ran a photo of him on its cover. Etsy stores sold Cuomo prayer candles. “Many Americans experience moments of being at least Andrew-curious, if not fully Cuomo-sexual,” said Stephen Colbert. Howard Stern described the governor’s demeanor as a “turn on” and lamented that he was not running for the highest office in the land.
He’s frequently in conflict with both the Mayor of New York City and the President.
And for many elderly, dead wrong.
I still think he should have served time in prison for making predatory lending legal.
UPDATE
And just like that, there are 1700 more deaths reported in New York nursing homes
New York state is reporting more than 1,700 previously undisclosed deaths at nursing homes and adult care facilities as the state faces scrutiny over how it’s protected vulnerable residents during the coronavirus pandemic.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.