COVID-19 outbreak at Newfane nursing home was 'death sentence' for some

As of Saturday, there were 21 deaths from COVID-19 at Newfane Rehab and Health Care Center.

NEW DATA SHOWSFIVE PERCENT OFNEW YORK'S NURSINGHOME POPULATIONHAS DIED FROMCORONAVIRUS.ABOUT 26-HUNDREDDEATHS HAVE BEENREPORTED AT ADULTCARE FACILITIESSTATEWIDE.AND ANOTHER 26-HUNDRED RESIDENTSHAVE DIED FROMWHAT'S BELIEVED TOBE COVID-19.THOS CASES HAVENOT BEEN CONFIRMEDYET.BUT TOGETHER THEYMAKE UP MORE THANFIVE THOUSANDDEATHS IN NEW YORKNURSING HOMES.NEW YORK LEADS THENATION IN THENUMBER OF DEATHS INNURSING HOMES.AND AS I-TEAM CHIEFINVESTIGATORCHARLIE SPECHTSHOWS US --GOVERNOR CUOMO ISNOW COMING UNDERFIRE FOR HISHANDLING OF THECRISIS.AS OF SATURDAY,THERE WERE 21DEATHS FROM COVID-19 AT NEWFANE REHABAND HEALTH CARECENTER...AND GARYLICKFELD WAS ONE OFTHEM.JILL SAWYER SAYSHER DAD WAS ASOUTH BUFFALONATIVE AND FORMERERIE COUNTYSHERIFF'S DEPUTY.BUT AFTER NEWFANEREHAB BECAME AHOT-SPOT FORCOVID-19, HE DIEDJUST A DAY AFTER SHELEARNED HE HADCONTRACTED THEVIRUS.PHONER/JILLSAWYER/FATHER HADCOVID-19:IT WAS JUST A DEATHSENTENCE.PHONER/JILLSAWYER/FATHER HADCOVID-19:IT SPREAD SOQUICKLY.PHONER/JILLSAWYER/FATHER HADCOVID-19:HE WENT VERY, VERYFAST.SHE DOES NOT BLAMETHE NURSINGHOME...BUT RATHERGOVERNOR CUOMO'SCONTROVERSIALORDER THAT NEWYORK NURSINGHOMES HAD TOACCEPT COVID-19PATIENTS BEINGDISCHARGED BYLOCAL HOSPITALS.PHONER/JILLSAWYER/FATHER HADCOVID-19:I JUST FEEL LIKE THESTATE SET THESEPOOR FACILITIES UP TOCOMPLETELY GETRAVAGED BY COVID.THE GOVERNOR HASSINCE REVERSED THEPOLICY...BUT IT MAY BETOO LATE FORNEWFANE REHAB.PHONER/JILLSAWYER/FATHER HADCOVID-19:IT'S WAY TOO LATE.

IFEEL LIKE I'M ININDIANA SITTING BACKAND WATCHING THETITANIC SINK.SAWYER SAYSSTAFFERS THERETOLD HER THE VIRUSFIRST CAME FROM AHOSPITAL PATIENTWHO WAS ADMITTEDTO THE NURSINGHOME...SHE SAIDSTAFFERS ALSO TOLDHER AS OF LASTMONDAY, THEREWERE ONLY FIVEPATIENTS WHO DIDNOT HAVE THE VIRUS.THOSE FIGURES AREUNVERIFIED, AS THESTATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT, WHICHIS INVESTIGATING THENURSING HOME, ISSTILL NOT RELEASINGTHE NUMBER OFPOSITIVE COVID-19NURSING HOMECASES TO THE PUBLIC.NEWFANE REHAB HASAN OVERALL RATINGOF 3 OUT OF 5 STARSBY THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT...ANDMAXIMUSHEALTHCARE GROUP,WHICH OWNS 11NURSING HOMES INNEW YORK, FLORIDA,NORTH CAROLINA ANDINDIANA, RELEASED ASTATEMENT SAYING INPART, "ALL RESIDENTSAND STAFF HAVE BEENTESTED FOR COVID19..OUR STAFF HAVEBEEN TRAINED IN THEPOLICIES OF THEFACILITY REGARDINGUSE OF PERSONALPROTECTIVEEQUIPMENT ANDINFECTION CONTROLPOLICIES...MANY OFOUR STAFF ANDRESIDENTS ARE ONTHE ROAD TORECOVERY."PHONER/JILLSAWYER/FATHER HADCOVID-19:I ASSURE YOU IT'SREAL, AND IT'S TAKINGPEOPLE MUCH BEFORETHEY SHOULD HAVEBEEN TAKEN.

MYFATHER WAS ONLY 70YEARS OLD.

YES HEHAD PARKINSON'S, BUTHE WAS STILL LIVING AGOOD LIFE ANDSHUFFLING AROUNDAND CALLING ME 20TIMES A DAY.

AND NOWMY PHONE WON'T RINGANYMORE.TAG --RESPONSE FROM THESTATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT ANDCUOMO'S OFFICE.