ALBANY, NY – New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has fallen ten points since January, according to a poll released Tuesday amid twofold criticism of his government’s report on the number of nursing homes being donated to Covid. 19 died.
A poll by the Siena College Research Institute among 804 voters in New York found that the Democratic governor’s general work permit dropped to 51-47, from 56-42 in January. On the question of whether they approve of how Mr. Cuomo released information on deaths in nursing homes, 39% said they approve of it, compared to 55% who did not.
State officials now say more than 15,000 residents of nursing homes and nursing and adult care institutions have been confirmed or suspected of contracting the coronavirus since March last year – a score about 50% higher than previously stated by the state. For months, the state has not responded to requests from lawmakers and journalists asking for the number of residents who have died in hospitals.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers have criticized the delay as well as a statement by the governor’s top aide, Melissa DeRosa, last week that the state suspended the release of the full count in August for fear that former President Trump’s government would politicize the information.
Democrats, who control both the state assembly and the senate, said they had private talks over the weekend on the return of a state law passed in March that gave Cuomo unprecedented power to issue unilateral prescriptions needed to to manage pandemic. The governor used his authority to close schools and draw up rules for running businesses.