Fox senior meteorologist Janice Dean, sister-in-law Donna Johnson, who lost her parents to COVID-19 after being exposed in New York’s relief facilities, stressed Tuesday that people do not go to nursing homes to die.
“Our governor comes on TV and says such ridiculous things,” Johnson told Fox & Friends on Tuesday. “I think the latest thing that saddens me so much is when he talks about patients with nursing homes, he acts like you’re going to a nursing home and you die, a big deal.”
“You’re not going to a nursing home and dying. These are people’s homes,” she stressed, noting that some assistance facilities are rehabilitation centers and that people of all ages are there.
Last month, the Washington Post reported that the New York government, Andrew Cuomo, said, “Look, if anyone died in a hospital or died in a nursing home, it’s the people who died.”
“People are dead.” I was in a hospital, I was transferred to a nursing home and my father died. “My father was in a nursing home, was transferred to a hospital, my father died.” “People have died,” he apparently continued.
“But who cares? 33 [percent]. 28 [percent]. Died in a hospital. According to the Post, Cuomo died in a nursing home, “they died.”
Johnson told host Brian Kilmeade that her father’s rehabilitation facility in New York City was shut down about a year ago due to the coronavirus pandemic. She noted that her mother was in a separate care facility in the area and that the plan was for her father to “get a little healthier and go with my mother to the emergency room.”
Johnson said her brother called one afternoon that her father was not feeling well.
“I do not believe that the call made us believe that he was in serious danger and just a few hours later he received the next call that my father had died,” she said.
“Having COVID did not even occur to us and we learned that my father had COVID when the funeral director received the death certificate.”
Johnson also noted that her mother did not start feeling well shortly thereafter and that she was transported to the hospital for about a week where she tested positive for COVID-19 and ‘gradually got worse’. Johnson said her mother died at the hospital.
“The last words my mother said to me were, ‘Donna, I’m scared,'” Johnson said.
“I would like to ask Governor Cuomo how he would feel if he had to live every day with the last words of his mother,” Andrew, I’m scared. ‘
A Cuomo spokesman did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
Cuomo on Monday did not want to say whether he or any members of his office were sued in connection with ongoing investigations into how the administration handled nursing home care during the pandemic.
Asked during a conference on possible subpoenas, Cuomo said his office has been conducting an investigation since August and will continue to do so. However, he did not speak directly to the subpoena question.
Cuomo’s office was scrutinized over how it handled patient care at the nursing home and how it reported patient deaths, including the deliberate underreporting of deaths for fear that the disclosure of the information could be used against the government. , as suggested by an assistant.
A report released by the Attorney General of New York late last month revealed that total deaths in nursing homes in the state were higher than previously expected – by up to 55% less.
The health department revealed shortly after James’ report was released that another 3,829 residents had died after being transferred to hospitals, which is about 40% more deaths than previously counted. At least 12,743 long-term residents died of the virus on January 19.
New data released this month has raised the numbers to at least 14,100.
Republicans in the state legislature on Monday continued an effort to deprive Cuomo of his emergency authority during the pandemic. State Democrats made an effort to formally reprimand Cuomo, which would serve as a public rebuke to his actions.
Johnson noted Tuesday that she has several questions for the governor.
“I want to know why he did not use the tools that President Trump gave him,” Johnson said. He asked the ship. He had the ship. It lay empty. He had the Javits Center, it was empty. ‘
She also pointed out that temporary hospitals are located in parking lots where she is on Long Island.
“Why did you not use these facilities? I just want to know why? What led you to sign this mandate to send COVID-infected patients to facilities that are not equipped?” she asked further.
Johnson also noted that she would pass by the newspaper every day during the closure at the rehabilitation center where her father lived in Long Island and that employees would see ‘garbage bags’, noting that they were not equipped for the pandemic. to handle.
“What kind of PBM [personal protective equipment] is it? asked Johnson.
A Cuomo spokesman also did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for answers to Johnson’s questions.
Johnson said Tuesday that she is “proud” of her sister-in-law Janice Dean because she is a voice for families losing family members living in nursing homes and relief efforts.
“I’m so sure my parents are so proud of her,” Johnson told Kilmeade. “My parents were not the kind of people who want their face to be on TV and they do not want the attention, but on the other hand, my father always taught us to always keep and hold for yourself. up for people who can’t keep to themselves. ‘
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“I know how proud my parents look down on her,” she added. “We are forever grateful.”
Fox News’ Brittany De Lea contributed to this report.