You are reading

Cuomo Changes COVID-19 Nursing Home Policy

(Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)

May 11, 2020 By Christian Murray

Gov. Andrew Cuomo appears to have reversed course on his past ruling requiring nursing home operators to readmit seniors who have been treated elsewhere for COVID-19.

Cuomo, on March 25, ordered nursing homes to readmit seniors who had been treated at hospitals and other facilities for COVID-19.

Yesterday, Cuomo said nursing home residents now must test negative before they are allowed back into their nursing home facility.

Cuomo had been subject to much criticism for his March 25 directive. While nursing home patients are kept separate from the rest of the residents—many argue that it has put other seniors at risk. Some say that nursing homes don’t have the space for COVID-19 patients to be properly isolated.

His critics say that his policy—requiring readmission—added to the number of fatalities at nursing homes.

Cuomo said that this new directive was not a significant change of policy, since nursing home operators have always had the ability to transfer residents elsewhere if they believe they couldn’t provide the necessary care.

Cuomo also announced an additional requirement to increase safety Sunday. All nursing home staff must undergo increased testing.

“Today we’re taking additional steps to protect residents of nursing homes,” Cuomo said. “All nursing home staff must now be tested twice a week. That’s not just a temperature check. That is a diagnostic test.”

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Catch the fall vibe at these western Queens breweries

Sep. 3, 2025 By Jessica Militello

September rings in the start of Oktoberfest from mid-September through October, featuring special brews, fun events and more fall fun. Western Queens is filled with breweries to enjoy seasonal brews, fall flavors and the start of cooler weather as Autumn approaches, making it a perfect time to meet up with friends at these local spaces.

Op-Ed | Four years after Hurricane Ida, Queens deserves real climate resilience

Sep. 2, 2025 By Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas

Four years ago, Hurricane Ida tore through our neighborhoods of East Elmhurst, Corona and Jackson Heights, leaving behind devastation we will never forget. We lost neighbors to the floodwaters. Families saw their homes destroyed, their basements wiped out, their lives upended. Immigrant families—so many of them undocumented—were hit the hardest, often excluded from relief altogether. Ida was not just a storm; it was a wake-up call.