‘4 years is too long’ Nursing home families, lawmakers call for release of pandemic report – WRGB

'4 years is too long' Nursing home families, lawmakers call for release of pandemic report

by Ashley Cusicanqui

WRGB

On this day four years ago, the Department of Health and former Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration informed nursing homes No resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the nursing home solely based on confirmed and suspected COVID-19."

A controversial decision blamed for thousands of deaths, a yet to be released independent report on the state's COVID-19 response could offer new insight.

On Monday, Republican lawmakers and nursing home advocates, many who lost family close to them during the pandemic, called for the release of the report.

"We will seek justice," said Voices For Seniors Co-Founder Vivian Zayas. "They are not forgotten because I am here."

With a pin on her shirt of Anna Martinez, Vivian Zayas tells the story of how her mother lost her life in a nursing home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A story, far too familiar.

"We were not told she had a collapsed lunge, we were not told she caught COVID," said Zayas. "We were not told there was COVID-19 in her facility, we did not know the facility was accepting COVID positive patients."

At least 15,000 New Yorkers in nursing homes died from COVID-19.

Since, Governor Kathy Hochul contracted the Olsen Group out of Virginia at the rate of $4.3 million dollars for a year-long study on decisions made in New York throughout the pandemic, including in nursing homes.

That study began in November of 2022.

Im very frustrated by the pace, Ive wanted this before, but absolutely will be released to the public when its done. We're staying on top of it, we're pushing, and I'm told it's going to be, I won't even give a date, but we're told it shouldn't be too far out, but I keep asking all the time, the same question.

The review has still yet to be announced if it's completed, causing frustration and calls for answers.

"4 years is too long to wait for answers and to wait for accountability," said Voices For Seniors Director Tracey Alvino. "Grieving nursing home families were promised an independent investigation into the state's COVID response and here it is 16 months and 3 weeks since the Olsen group was hired to do this review and nothing but silence."

"New Yorkers need answers," said New York Assembly Minority Leader (R, C-Pulaski) Will Barclay. "Us in state government need answers so we can put protocols in place to ensure this tragedy doesn't happen again."

"4 years later we have a degree of perspective but what we don't have is the detail that an analysis should have presented."

Last Tuesday, reporters asked New York State Department of Health Commissioner James McDonald if he thinks the state legislature should approve a separate commission for an additional report. McDonald said he would read the Olsen report when it comes out and "for a lot of us in public health though we know what's happened and a lot of us are trying to never forget certain parts of it, and there's other parts we want to never remember. For us in public health, the pandemic is still very real for us though. As far as what needs to be reviewed, I think what's the question? What are you trying to do? Are you trying to learn something, or trying to blame somebody? I've already learned a lot. I'm always open to new ideas but I'm not blaming anybody anymore for anything."

We did reach out to the Governor's office for an update, the executive chamber referred us back to comments Governor Hochul made in January where she expressed frustration over the pace of the report release.

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'4 years is too long' Nursing home families, lawmakers call for release of pandemic report - WRGB