Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo testified before Congress on September 10, defending his decision-making during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state. He addressed criticism regarding his March 2020 directive requiring nursing homes to admit COVID-19-positive patients, which has been linked to the state’s high number of pandemic fatalities. Cuomo argued that studies show the virus entered nursing homes through community spread and infected staff, not through hospital admissions or readmissions.
He also cited guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the basis for his policy allowing COVID-19 patients to return to nursing homes. Specifically, he referred to the March 9, 2020, recommendations from CMS that stated nursing homes could admit such residents as long as they followed CDC guidelines for Transmission-Based Precautions.
During the hearing, Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), the chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, highlighted that facilities unable to adhere to these guidelines were advised against admitting COVID-positive residents. He also noted that the federal government did not require states to mandate nursing homes to admit or readmit residents with COVID-19, as Cuomo did in New York.
There was bipartisan criticism of Cuomo’s actions, with Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) attributing excess pandemic deaths to President Trump’s policies. However, others were more critical, with Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) questioning Cuomo’s decision to change the state’s reporting of nursing home fatality data in May 2020.
Cuomo denied responsibility for the change and attributed it to increased inquiries amid a controversy started by Republicans. He defended the adjustment, stating that he prioritized accuracy in reporting during the pandemic.
The former governor faced additional scrutiny from Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) for securing a book deal worth $5 million during the pandemic, leading to calls for him to never hold elected office again. Cuomo ultimately resigned from his position in August 2021 amid allegations of sexual harassment. Please rewrite this sentence.
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