Suffolk Reporter

Mar 25 2024

In a recent statement, Brown expressed pride in the joint efforts of Congressman Molinaro and colleagues from both the Assembly and Senate Minority Conferences to push for an independent COVID-19 study. Brown emphasized the widespread impact of the pandemic on families and individuals in New York, stating, “Families and individuals throughout our state were impacted in some capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic—daily life changed significantly, and many loved ones were lost.”

Reflecting on a somber anniversary, Brown remarked, “It’s surreal that today marks the four-year anniversary of the infamous order issued by the New York State Department of Health, which required nursing homes to accept COVID-positive patients. Our state owes the thousands of grieving families who lost family members and friends answers.”

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Brown pointed out, "80,000 New Yorkers did not have to die during the pandemic, whether in infected nursing homes, on the frontlines as essential workers or in over-crowded hospitals." Brown stressed the importance of reviewing the state’s response to the crisis to better prepare for future challenges, stating, "Identifying the mistakes that were made since the pandemic began in March of 2020 could prevent COVID-related casualties on such a large scale from occurring in the future."