NBC Calls Out Gov. Cuomo for Forcing COVID Patients into Nursing Homes #Political
Denouncing it as “a path to disaster,” investigative correspondent Cynthia McFadden’s Monday report for NBC Nightly News called out Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for forcing nursing homes in his state to take in coronavirus-positive patients just out of the hospital. On top of that, she pointed out how he had refused to give those facilities personal protective equipment (PPE). All of this, while ABC and CBS still refused to criticize their governor and bashed President Trump.
The segment was set up to laud and push the model being rolled out in Connecticut by Democratic Governor Ned Lamont. “Connecticut has made a bold move and we got a first look (…) An all COVID facility for nursing home residents getting out of the hospital,” McFadden boasted.
The body of her report consisted of pitted Lamont against Cuomo. And while, she noted that “most states” were doing the same thing as Cuomo, he was the only one she called out by name.
“Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont thinks forcing nursing homes to take COVID positive patients, as most states are doing, is a path to disaster,” she said. And backed up by a Politico headline pointing out that 5,000 had died, McFadden threw Cuomo under the bus. “Over the weekend, New York's Governor Cuomo reversed his controversial policy forcing nursing homes to take back COVID patients, and says they now have COVID-only facilities like this one on standby.”
Further pitting the governors against each other, McFadden noted that while Connecticut might be struggling to deliver personal protective equipment, New York was denying them access to the state's supply. She even teed up Lamont to comment on their different approaches:
MCFADDEN: Back in Connecticut, the National Guard is lending a hand. Like most of the country, Connecticut has struggled with the shortage of PPE, especially for nursing home workers. Some daunting trash bags, they say, to protect themselves.
Governor Cuomo has said it is not his responsibility to provide PPE to nursing home facilities.
LAMONT: In a crisis, the buck stops right here. And I can sit around saying, “Oh, these nurses homes are private enterprises, why didn't they take care of their own people?” Forget it. We're in a crisis.
“Here, they tell us they have enough especially as all the patients will be COVID positive,” McFadden said, talking about the supply availability at the COVID-only facility.
The nursing home workers were also confident in their abilities to care for patients while not getting sick themselves (click “expand”):
MCFADDEN: You two volunteered to work in a COVID-only facility. I mean, how did you explain that to your families?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 2: Because I'm sure of my infection control technique. And I've been doing it a long time. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 3: After doing this for over 15 years, I think we're confident--
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 2: 49 years.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 3: -- of our ability.
Credit where it’s due. NBC gave airtime to a sandal their broadcast competitors refused too.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
NBC Nightly News
May 11, 2020
7:16:22 a.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: The White House today recommended testing over a million nursing home residents and staff, with a total of, at least, 26,000 deaths of nursing homes. Cynthia McFadden tonight has an inside look at a solution that could save lives.
[Cuts to video]
CYNTHIA MCFADDEN: Connecticut has made a bold move and we got a first look.
Is this standard operating procedure now?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Absolutely.
MCFADDEN: An all COVID facility for nursing home residents getting out of the hospital.
GOV. NED LAMONT (D-CT): Nursing homes are like a petri dish for this pandemic. We’ve had about 50 percent of our fatalities have happened there.
MCFADDEN: That number climbing fast. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont thinks forcing nursing homes to take COVID positive patients, as most states are doing, is a path to disaster.
LAMONT: I'm terrified.
MCFADDEN: COVID-only facilities are Governor Lamont's solution. This was a 90-bed nursing home until it shut down last November. An ideal setting for a COVID-only facility, says Harvard professor David Grabowski.
DAVID GRABOWSKI: Connecticut deserves a lot of credit. They're testing everyone, staff and residents. They're providing personal protective equipment for the staff. And then finally, they’re creating these specialized COVID facilities.
MCFADDEN: Over the weekend, New York's Governor Cuomo reversed his controversial policy forcing nursing homes to take back COVID patients, and says they now have COVID-only facilities like this one on standby.
Back in Connecticut, the National Guard is lending a hand. Like most of the country, Connecticut has struggled with the shortage of PPE, especially for nursing homeworkers. Some daunting trash bags, they say, to protect themselves.
Governor Cuomo has said it is not his responsibility to provide PPE to nursing home facilities.
LAMONT: In a crisis, the buck stops right here. And I can sit around saying, “Oh, these nurses homes are private enterprises, why didn't they take care of their own people?” Forget it. We're in a crisis.
MCFADDEN: Here, they tell us they have enough especially as all the patients will be COVID positive.
So, in other words, you suit up in the morning and you’re pretty well set for the day?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Correct.
MCFADDEN: Meanwhile, one union leader tells us, 40 percent of the staff in some facilities of COVID positive are not able to work due to exposure.
You two volunteered to work in a COVID-only facility. I mean, how did you explain that to your families?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 2: Because I'm sure of my infection control technique. And I've been doing it a long time. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 3: After doing this for over 15 years, I think we're confident--
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 2: 49 years.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN 3: -- of our ability.
[Laughter]
MCFADDEN: Confident, too, other states could save lives by creating places like this one. Cynthia McFadden, NBC News, Maryland.
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