Dr. Thomas R. Frieden —former commissioner of New York City’s health department and the former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)— claims the delayed coronavirus response have led to the state’s death toll.
A report published by the New York Times details Frieden’s observations have concluded: “If the state and city had adopted widespread social-distancing measures a week or two earlier, including closing schools, stores, and restaurants, then the estimated death toll from the outbreak might have been reduced by 50 to 80 percent.”
If NY had acted 2 days later, #COVID19 death toll would have been double what it is & will be. These are difficult decisions & hindsight is easy. What we must do now is act immediately to get ready for next phase. I outline some of what we need to do here https://t.co/9ELdhX0Dpe
— Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) April 8, 2020
He also noted the vast difference in statewide coronavirus statistics across New York and California.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a stay-home order one day after California Gov. Gavin Newsom. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was also criticized and accused of not taking the virus seriously.
While New York is working to combat the coronavirus with more than 140,000 positive cases and a death toll of 5,400, California’s stats are significantly lower —17,625 cases and 452 deaths, as of Wednesday afternoon.
Frieden also noted the city of San Francisco, as an example. With only 18 positive coronavirus cases, locally, the city opted to shut schools down. Los Angeles also followed suit. The swift response may have significantly impacted the potential of the virus spreading.
Models aren’t a macabre lottery about guessing the right number. This is a race against time to save as many lives as possible. Models are useful if and only if they help guide action. #publichealth #COVID19
— Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) April 8, 2020
However, the report attributes much of the delayed response in New York to “confused guidance, unheeded warnings, delayed decisions, and political infighting.”
Frieden has also noted that while flu season was evident, an “ominous spike” in illnesses may have signaled a bigger problem.
“Flu was coming down, and then you saw this new ominous spike. And it was Covid. And it was spreading widely in New York City before anyone knew it,” said Frieden.
He continued, “You have to move really fast. Hours and days. Not weeks. Once it gets a head of steam, there is no way to stop it.”
Despite Frieden’s findings, Cuomo and de Blasio have long insisted they followed protocol and their actions led to the Trump administration taking more effective action to combat the outbreak.
“Every action I took was criticized at the time as premature,” Cuomo said of his handling of the outbreak. “The facts have proven my decisions correct.”
De Blasio previously released a statement addressing misgivings about his coronavirus response efforts.
“We’re dealing with a virus that’s only months old and science that changes by the day. He added, “Hindsight is a luxury none of us have in the heat of battle.”