Half of the deaths from COVID-19 in New Jersey have come from the state’s nursing facilities and veterans homes. That’s according to SUSSEX COUNTY WATCHDOG.
Those deaths were the result of government decisions. Family members needlessly suffered and then died – generally alone.
Watch this ABC News Nightline piece on the victims of just one of the nursing facilities involved.
Watch Video
At about the 9:35 mark in the video, a letter appears from a managing director at Mercury, LLC, a political consulting/ lobbying/ media relations firm.
Mercury is handling “crisis management” for the owners of the nursing home where all those victims – the “blessed souls” Governor Murphy refers to at his COVID press conferences – died in horrible circumstances. They claim nothing unusual happened to cause all those deaths.
Sussex County Watchdog is committed to citizen journalism with a local, independent-minded perspective. We seek to provide a layer of scrutiny of politics and government that we find lacking in corporate journalism.
FROM NJ105: On March 31, NJ Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli issued a directive to long-term facilities that required them to accept residents discharged from hospitals. It said nursing homes couldn’t deny a person admission or readmission solely based on a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and couldn’t test them for the virus. The directive was similar to one New York had issued.
Read More: NJ Senate plans hearing on COVID-19 ‘disaster’ at nursing homes
New Jersey leads the nation in deaths per capita at nursing homes right now for many reasons, but poor planning and communication and questionable policies likely exacerbated the misery for thousands of families. Read more at NorthJersey.com
Governors under scrutiny for their mishandling of COVID & nursing homes:
- Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania
- New Jersey’s Phil Murphy
- Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer
- California’s Gavin Newsome
- NY’s Andrew Cuomo
Public comment: Nursing homes were ordered by their governors to accept Covid-19 patients from hospitals, including facilities without adequate space to isolate patients and without the proper ppe.
Given that nursing homes contain the population most vulnerable to the disease and most likely to die from complications, it’s surprising their weren’t even more deaths.
Nursing Home & Economic Tragedy. Watch video from BLUE COLLAR LOGIC:
WATCH VIDEO.
Washington Post coverage of impact on U.S. nursing homes and facilities that care for elderly:
Continued bans on nursing home visitors are unhealthy and unethical
More than 30,000 nursing home residents have died as covid-19 has swept through the nation. Advocates and families say more should have been done to limit the death toll.
Nursing home and assisted-living residents share what life has been like since the pandemic began.
Immunity laws in many states shield nursing homes from covid-19 liability
California nursing homes are examples of how cruel the coronavirus pandemic can be
A behind-the-scenes battle raged between top Murphy aides over $500K contract as nursing home deaths mounted. READ MORE at NJ.com.
My mom an Alzheimer’s resident at Christian Health in Wyckoff Nj , one of the top facilities in Nj for Covid fell victim on April 25 th because of no proper protection worn by aides , no isolation from others with Covid and the same nurses and aides caring for the infected as well as the healthy . She was a sitting duck just waiting her turn to die . Just her area alone of 125 at least 50-60 I know of died ! She was on no MEDS and had No underlying diseases .
WHY ISNT NJ INVESTIGATING MURPHY – HE SIGNED THE SAME ORDER SENDING PATIENTS FROM THE HOSPITAL TO THIS REHAB AND NURSING HOME FACILITY . Why have no hearings started – hE IS RESPONSIBLE AND SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE .
This is a terrible situation. The elderly were not taken care of in the beginning of this pandemic and now the same. They are being treated like prisoners while staff comes and goes home to family and friends to bring this virus back into the assisted livings and nursing homes. Continuing to contaminate the immuno compromised. These poor residents are paying 10 to 15 k per month average. They have not to been touched or kissed by family in 5 months. No social activities. Contained in their rooms. What is anyone doing about this!!!! These people have rights. Casinos are open, schools sports etc. why are these people not having the same freedoms??? This is taking of them??? They are depressed, sad and anxious. They don’t remember why this is happening so they feel abandoned.
Absolutely disgraceful.
Yes, this is horrible and there must be a open investigation. Being a true leader you must be responsible for your actions at all times. Being a leader myself it is always about the protection of people we serve, first. People we lead trust us to be there for them making sure they can do what they do best in a safe environment.
No one should pass away in this manner. Those poor families and love ones, told they could not see their elderly parents. This is someone’s Mom or Dad. The cry from the Nursing Homes telling the Governor”s office to not proceed with his decision fell on closed ears.
Remember people first, safety first and by listening to the people we serve allows us to be a great leader.
C. Dehner
Murphy is another Killer like Cuomo. My friends have lost their relatives living in nursing homes because of his mandate. Murphy should be in jail.