Gov. Cuomo Announces New Regulations For Nursing Homes; Says There Are 3 Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Deaths, 2 More Under Investigation
ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday hospitalizations, intubations and new cases of coronavirus are all down.
In terms of new cases, the state is back at a level last seen March 20, with roughly 520 new cases.
There have been 207 new deaths.
Cuomo said protecting seniors in nursing homes is "one of our top priorities," adding the state is taking additional steps to protect those residents.
The governor announced that if nursing facilities cannot provide the appropriate level of care for any reason, they must transfer the person. All nursing home staff must now be tested for COVID-19 twice a week. Hospitals also now cannot discharge patients to a nursing home unless they test negative for coronavirus.
"We created 40,000 hospital beds, because we had to," Cuomo said. "So we have beds available. We also set up COVID-only facilities. So we have available COVID-only facilities that could accept nursing home residents."
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
- Resources, Hotlines, Unemployment & Covering Bills
- Remote Learning Tools For Parents Teaching At Home
- Ask Dr. Max Your Health Questions
- How Make Your Own DIY Face Mask
- How To Safely Remove Disposable Gloves
- Tips For Parents To Help Kids Cope
- Chopper 2 Over Empty NYC Streets, Landmarks
- Complete Coronavirus Coverage
Some have criticized the governor's handling of nursing homes during the crisis, saying they wanted these regulations sooner, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported.
"The reality is it's too late. It's too late for my family. It's too late for too many families," said Castle Hill, Bronx resident Xiomara Garcia-King.
MORE: Faced With Thousands Of Deaths, Nursing Homes Nationwide Seek Shield From Lawsuits
Garcia-King shared with CBS2 photos of her 62-year-old father, Toribio, who was transferred from a hospital to the Isabella Geriatric Center in Washington Heights, where he died.
There have been nearly 100 coronavirus-related deaths at that facility.
"The purpose of sending him there was to protect him, and instead they infected hm. They neglected him," Garcia-King said.
Her father died alone, and right before he did he put a desperate plea in writing.
"My father asked for help. He wrote that note to us. He wrote several notes to us, asking for help," Garcia-King said.
The nursing home has not discussed the case, citing patient confidentiality.
The governor said nursing homes will get their operating licenses revoked if they cannot provide appropriate level of care, personal protective equipment for all staff, and proper isolation of patients discovered to be COVID-19 positive.
"They will lose their license. Well, that's harsh. No harsh is having a nursing home resident who doesn't get the appropriate care. That's what's harsh," Cuomo said.
What everyone seems to agree on is that the state's most vulnerable population deserves better.
CORONAVIRUS: NY Health Dept. | NY Call 1-(888)-364-3065 | NYC Health Dept. | NYC Call 311, Text COVID to 692692 | NJ COVID-19 Info Hub | NJ Call 1-(800)-222-1222 or 211, Text NJCOVID to 898211 | CT Health Dept. | CT Call 211 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Cuomo said the state is investigating 85 cases of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome. Cuomo said there have been three confirmed deaths related to it, and two other deaths are under investigation which may also be due to the syndrome.
"This is every mother's nightmare. This is every parent's nightmare. No one knew about it. Nobody was watching for it. It's the same story with this virus from day one," Cuomo said.
Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said 30-40 people are reviewing the information about the cases.
"I would tell parents that if your child has any nausea, vomiting, diarrhea ... if they have any chest pain and they complain about that, that they should call their doctor," Zucker said.
As far as reopening goes, New York PAUSE expires on May 15, and various regions must meet certain criteria in order to reopen. Decisions will be driven by the numbers and preparation, the governor said, adding some regions will meet those criteria and be able to reopen.
Cuomo again appealed to the federal government to pass a stimulus to support state and local governments. He called on federal lawmakers to make a condition of any industry or corporate bailout a requirement that they not fire any employees.
"There should be no subsidy for any corporation that lays off employees, period," Cuomo said. "Government should not subsidize their reduction of employees."