Buffalo Ledger

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan, (R-C, Elma) along with Minority Conference members from the Senate and Assembly, has reiterated the need for an independent review of New York State’s COVID response. The delay in the release of the findings and recommendations by the outside consultant hired for the review, The Olson Group, Ltd., has prompted Senator Gallivan to call for an update.

Speaking on the issue, Senator Gallivan emphasized the importance of the review, stating, "In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the governor’s office and the Health Department issued hundreds of mandates and Executive Orders impacting not only nursing home patients but residents, businesses, and schools." He further added, "At a cost of more than $4 million, one would expect this comprehensive review to be completed in a timely manner, as promised. The review of the state’s policies and procedures is critical to determining how the state should respond to future public health emergencies. It is time for the Olson Group and the governor’s office to provide an update. The Legislature and the residents of NYS deserve it."

Senator Gallivan has taken action by writing a letter to the commissioner of the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, seeking an update on the release of the study that was commissioned back in January 2023. He, along with other Minority members of the Senate and Assembly, has been advocating for legislative hearings with subpoena power to ensure accountability for the families who lost loved ones during the pandemic.

As the fourth anniversary of the DOH directive that required nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients approaches, with almost 15,000 COVID deaths recorded in long-term care facilities alone, the call for transparency and accountability in the state's COVID-19 response remains crucial.