ALBANY, NY — New York missed its best chance to save lives at the onset of COVID-19 in February of 2020—when the virus arrived and started spreading before anyone noticed—not in March or April, according to a new report from the Empire Center analyzing the state’s response.

The report, 2020 Hindsight, found the state’s early response was undermined by flawed guidance from the federal government, inadequate planning and stockpiling, limited consultation with experts, exaggerated projections and poor cooperation between federal, state and local officials, among other issues.

The report identifies several shortcomings by New York’s public health system that led to such a pronounced crisis, including its preoccupation with and overspending on Medicaid, which took resources away from pandemic preparation and planning. Ultimately, the state’s public health infrastructure proved to be underprepared, ill-equipped and slow to act.

“Understanding what went wrong in those early months—and bolstering the state’s defenses against future pandemics—ought to be a top priority in Albany,” said Bill Hammond, Empire Center’s senior fellow for health policy and the report’s author. “In its cruel and mindless way, the virus pinpointed every weakness that Albany needs to fix. The clues left behind offer a roadmap to a safer state. It’s up to New York’s leaders to follow it.”

Hammond makes several recommendations that could help prevent such a massive crisis in the future, including convening an NTSB-style investigative commission, establishing routine monitoring and reporting on worldwide viral threats, and restructuring the health department to elevate the importance of public health protection and prevent those functions from being overshadowed.

Read the full report here.

You may also like

Statement: Independent Pandemic Research Commission is Needed

Today, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she is issuing an RFP for a review of the state's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic Read More

Statement on the release of new COVID-19 Death Toll data

The Cuomo administration left out many people who died without a test during the early weeks of the pandemic Read More

An Open Letter to Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul

As an organization committed to openness in government, we welcome your commitment to leading a fully transparent administration Read More

Empire Center Appeals COVID FOIL Request Delays

Empire Center has appealed four delayed Freedom of Information Law requests pertaining to state COVID-19 data Read More

Three of 62 Requested COVID Data Sets Made Available through FOIL

Just three COVID data sets have been made fully available in the month since the Empire Center officially submitted 62 FOIL requests Read More

Empire Center Recognized for Exposing NY Nursing Home Coverup

In recognition of the importance of government transparency, the Empire Center has been selected as a finalist for the for its role in exposing the coverup of thousands of COVID-related deaths among New York’s elderly population. In the thick of the Read More

Arbeeny Family and Empire Center Partner to Promote Open Government

The family of Norman Arbeeny has made a generous donation to the Empire Center to bring more openness and transparency to New York State government. Read More

Empire Center Demands Dozens of Coronavirus Data Sets from the NYS DOH

The Empire Center filed 62 Freedom of Information Law requests for coronavirus-related records from the Department of Health. Read More