The long-awaited flattening of the curve that officials had been talking about since the COVID-19 pandemic hit New York State came just as reports began to break about an overflow of bodies at local hospitals, nursing homes, and funeral parlors.

 

This, as the Bronx went on to report the highest number of coronavirus cases in the City relative to the borough’s population, and trail only Queens and Brooklyn in terms of the actual number of statewide positive cases per county.

 

As of Apr. 30, according to the State’s health department, 2,459 people have died from COVID-19 in the Bronx, while 37,244 people have tested positive. The high numbers of elderly people who have died in nursing homes across the State is only just beginning to sink in.

Not all the State’s 620 nursing homes had reported their COVID-19 fatality numbers by the Apr. 18 deadline imposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Neither had they reported the numbers of positive cases.

 

At a press conference on Apr. 19, Cuomo said, “The numbers are going to come out. Any nursing home that thinks they’re going to sit there, and people are not going to figure out how many people passed away at that nursing home, they’re kidding themselves.”

 

In the days prior to the federally mandated lockdown of hospitals and nursing homes on March 18, The Wayne Center For Nursing & Rehabilitation in Norwood had run out of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and its staff were no longer able to provide masks to visitors. A previously unimaginable “no visitor” policy ensued.

 

At that point, the Center had begun mitigating against a potential outbreak within the facility. Staff had started taking visitors’ phone numbers in case the home would need to inform those visitors later that they had been potentially exposed to the virus.

A whistle-blower call in early April to both State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi and Councilman Ritchie Torres prompted both officials to immediately contact Mayor Bill de Blasio. This action resulted in members of both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Army National Guard being deployed to assist with the removal of the deceased from, at least, two Bronx nursing homes that were simply overwhelmed.

 

On Apr. 15, a source in Norwood who asked not to be named, said ten people had died at the Mosholu Parkway Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Perry Avenue, and that the home had been storing the deceased on its rooftop.

 

The facility declined a request by Norwood News for comment on the matter. In an interview on Apr. 19, when asked how many patients had died at Mosholu, a nurse who works there said, “Quite a few,” though she could not give an exact number.

 

Norwood News also asked the nurse about rumors of an overflow of deceased patients being stored on the building’s rooftop. “Oh, outside? No, we don’t have bodies stored outside,” she said. “We don’t have a holding area so what we do is, keep the bodies with the air-conditioning [on], and then make arrangements with the family.”

The nurse added that not having enough masks and latex gloves had been a problem, adding, “We have [supplies] for a few days.” On the subject of testing, she said that residents often went out to doctors’ appointments and that this would be the only occasion for them to get tested.

 

The heartbreaking number of fatalities is staggering. As of Apr. 25, King’s Harbor home in Pelham Gardens reported 45 dead, The Plaza Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Kingsbridge reported 36 deaths, and the Bronx Center for Rehabilitation in Unionport reported that 18 of their residents had died from the virus.

 

Other nursing homes that reported multiple deaths include St. Patrick’s Home, and Bronx Gardens. Each reported 17 deaths, while St. Vincent de Paul reported 13, East Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation Center reported 12, Split Rock Nursing Home had eight, and BronxCare had seven.

 

Dr. Roy Goldberg, medical director at the 700-bed Kings Harbor Multicare Center, issued a statement dated Apr. 6 on the status of the pandemic at the facility.

 

“These have been unbelievable times; not being able to visit loved ones makes it much worse,” he said. “We want to reassure you that all of the Department of Health and CDC Guidelines and Recommendations are being followed. Staff has gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure all of our residents are appropriately getting the care they need.”

One local, medical professional who asked not to be named, and who does not work at Kings Harbor home, gave their assessment of that facility in mid-March. “Everything is always a big secret with them,” the source said.

 

In response to a question about rumors of multiple deaths and an outbreak of COVID-19 within the home, the source said, “It may be true. A lot of the medical personnel work numerous jobs outside the home so they could be spreading it”.

 

Saint Patrick’s Home, a 264-bed facility in Jerome Park, founded in 1931, was one of the few homes that responded to a request for comment. Christine DeLuca of St. Patrick’s issued a statement that read in part, “The family of St. Patrick’s Home is deeply affected by the loss of beloved residents and we offer sincere condolences to the families affected by such loss.”

 

Regarding the home’s handling of the crisis, DeLuca’s statement continued, “As with other metropolitan nursing homes, there was a lack of availability of testing initially, and difficulty obtaining Personal Protective Equipment. However, we have been able to keep our staff supplied.”

 

Calls placed with The Plaza, BronxCare, The Citadel and CenterLight at Allerton were met with “no comment”, while calls to Bronx Center for Rehab and Nursing, Bronx Gardens, St. Vincent de Paul, East Haven, Split Rock, Mosholu Parkway Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, the Wayne Center, Bainbridge Nursing, and Morningside Rehabilitation Center have yet to be returned.

Not on the official list of nursing homes, since it’s more like assisted living for veterans and has different rules and protocols, is the James J. Peters Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center on West Kingsbridge Road. This facility reported 46 deaths as of Apr. 27.

 

Jean McLaughlin is the interim public affairs officer there, having taken up the position on Mar. 13 as the pandemic was unfolding. Norwood News asked McLaughlin about moral among staff given the high number of fatalities.

 

“Honestly, as a community of stakeholders, it’s devastating at times,” she said. “I’m not going to lie to you due to the deaths, but we have our whole health [team], and our Chaplin services are very much involved, and we’re providing meditation and resources for our employees,” she added.

 

On Saturday, Apr. 18 members of FDNY’s Engine 89 joined paramedics from Emergency Medical Services (EMS) who had been called to the Rebekah Rehab and Extended Care Center on Havemeyer Avenue in Unionport.

 

They were seen walking out of the facility about thirty minutes later with their heads down, three of the four were wearing gowns, gloves and masks. Minutes later, paramedics were seen leaving the home without any patients.

 

The FDNY issued a statement afterwards confirming that a patient had been in “cardiac arrest,” and had been “pronounced on scene”. The unidentified official also said that the FDNY had been following cardiac arrest protocol set forth by the Regional Emergency Medical Services Council of New York City, Inc (NYC REMAC).

 

Under the City REMAC guidelines, the protocol was to attempt to resuscitate patients for twenty minutes, even though a State health department memo dated Apr. 17 had recommended no resuscitation efforts in the event of cardiac arrest.

 

NYC REMAC had issued emergency guidelines on cardiac arrest procedures on Mar. 31. On Apr. 22, the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS) reported that the State health department’s previous non-resuscitation protocol dated Apr. 17 had been rescinded with immediate effect.

 

In its report, JEMS quoted Jeffrey Hammond, a spokesperson with the State’s health department, who provided the publication with an emailed statement on the matter.

 

“This guidance, [referring to the State’s original non-resuscitation protocol] proposed by physician leaders of the EMS Regional Medical Control Systems and the State Advisory Council, in accordance with American Heart Association guidance, and based on standards recommended by the American College of Emergency Physicians, and adopted in multiple other states, was issued April 17, 2020,” the statement read.

 

It went on to say that the guidance on cardiac arrest protocol had been at the recommendation of the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, and that it reflected ‎nationally recognized minimum standards.

 

“However, they don’t reflect New York’s standards and for that reason, DOH commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker has ordered them to be rescinded,” the statement ended. A few days later, on Apr. 23, NYC REMAC issued further clarification on cardiac arrest protocol.

 

The fact that, since the beginning of the pandemic, different State and City departments issued different, as well as revised emergency guidelines on this critical matter highlights to a degree the chaotic nature of the situation, and tells its own story of how both City and State were continually attempting to adapt to the crisis as it evolved.