Four years ago, the Department of Health made one of the most mind-boggling and, quite frankly, erroneous decisions we have ever seen. They decided to order nursing homes to accept COVID-19-positive individuals. 

It was already well known at the time that our seniors were some of the most vulnerable to the virus, so the decision to shove those infected with the virus into a contained space with them is one of the worst things you could do. 

This resulted in a spike in nursing home deaths, and still, somehow, the state has not conducted any sort of independent review to see how this decision was made. We need to analyze the state’s response so we can learn from our past mistakes and if, God forbid, we ever face another crisis like COVID, we will be better prepared to handle it.

I’ve spent a lifetime as a member of the emergency services, with police, fire and the Marine Corps. All of those organizations, after any significant event, conduct an After-Action Review to better learn from mistakes, in order to make similar situations better if they ever occur again. 

Why should this be any different?

Assemblyman Joseph Angelino (R-121)
Albany, NY