March 2, 2020
Statement from HANYS President Bea Grause, RN, JD, on New York’s first COVID-19 case
The case of COVID-19 announced in New York on Sunday was not unexpected, and it is very likely more will be identified. New Yorkers should take comfort that our hospitals have a long history of successfully treating and containing novel and emerging infections.
Our hospitals are prepared for an influx of patients caused by COVID-19. We will continue to work closely with the CDC, the New York State Department of Health, New York City and other local health departments to provide our hospitals with the latest information and guidance to help them effectively treat our patients and protect our workforce.
We thank the governor and the New York state congressional delegation for their ongoing efforts to secure the necessary resources to manage this ongoing situation.
We urge the New York state legislature to support the governor’s request for $40 million in emergency management funding to help the state and local health departments and healthcare providers respond to this ongoing situation.
The Healthcare Association of New York State is the only statewide hospital and continuing care association in New York, representing nonprofit and public hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies and other healthcare organizations.