In Fiery Hearing Exchange, Cuomo Admits He Never Consulted Health Officials on Nursing-Home Directive

Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo admitted during a congressional hearing that he did not consult public-health authorities before his administration ordered nursing homes to allow Covid-positive patients into their facilities.

Representative Brad Wenstrup (R., Ohio), chairman of the coronavirus subcommittee, sparred with Cuomo over his March 25, 2020, directive ordering New York nursing homes to take in patients who had tested positive for Covid to relieve pressure on hospitals. The order arguably defied federal guidance instructing nursing homes not to admit Covid-positive patients unless they could follow the Centers for Disease Control’s prescribed safety procedures.