On the Radar
DOJ
Seeks Data on Nursing Home COVID-19 Deaths
The Dept. of Justice (DOJ) has asked the Democratic governors
of Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania to provide coronavirus
(COVID-19) data related to the deaths of thousands of elderly nursing
home residents, which may have been caused by the governors requiring
facilities to readmit COVID-19 patients. Nursing homes have been hit hard by the pandemic, as elderly
patients are particularly vulnerable to serious complications and death from
COVID-19. The DOJ is seeking the data to help determine if it will
initiate investigations into whether the states’ orders are responsible for
the deaths of nursing home residents and justify civil rights charges under
the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). Assistant Attorney
General for the Civil Rights Division Eric Dreiband said: “Protecting the rights of some of society’s most
vulnerable members, including elderly nursing home residents, is one of our
country’s most important obligations. We must ensure they are adequately
cared for with dignity and respect and not unnecessarily put at risk.” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's (D) press secretary, Tiffany
Brown, responded with the following: “Protecting the health, safety, and wellbeing of our seniors
and most vulnerable residents has been a top priority throughout this crisis.
The fact that this letter was sent during the middle of the Republican
National Convention week to four Democratic governors should make it crystal
clear that this is nothing more than election year politics by an
administration that is more concerned with the president’s re-election
campaign than protecting Michigan seniors." Should the DOJ look
into state orders that sent elderly COVID-19 patients back to nursing homes? |
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