New York state health officials are being accused of releasing incomplete data on nursing home COVID-19 deaths to support controversial state policies implemented during the public health crisis.
During a hearing Monday, lawmakers questioned the validity of the data used in a report released by the NY Department of Health in early July. The report found that nursing home employees unknowingly spreading the disease was the main force that led to COVID-19 fatalities among residents — and not its controversial policy that forced nursing homes to take in COVID-positive residents.
State health officials questioned why the report included data only from deaths that occurred in nursing homes and omitted resident deaths that occurred shortly after transfers to hospitals.
New York Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, MD, said the state didn’t report the data because it was concerned about reporting them twice, The Journal News reported. He also added that the state is still working to verify the overall death toll. The data will be released once that is ascertained.
“I will not provide information unless I’m sure it is absolutely accurate,” Zucker said.
