Andy: It's NY Post's fault!

Blames paper for Fla. & Ariz. COVID woes

Gov. Cuomo has not only pushed the blame onto everyone else for the state’s coronavirus nursing-home debacle — now he says New York City newspapers are behind Florida’s and Arizona’s rising caseloads.

“The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, they continue to beat a horse that is dead: ‘We should reopen the economy faster in New York,’ ‘The infection rate is low, reopen faster,’ ” Cuomo ranted to reporters in an early-morning conference call Sunday.

New York state’s “infection rate is low because we have done an intelligent, phased reopening. What [the Journal and Post] are advocating has been demonstrated to be wrong and to be a failure.

“Florida listened to the New York Post. Texas listened to The Wall Street Journal. Arizona listened to The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post. That was wrong. That was wrong.”

In New York state, the virus has killed more than 32,000 people — many in nursing homes, which had been required by Cuomo to admit or readmit recovering COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals.

Asked on Friday whether he would support an independent probe into the state’s handling of nursing-home infections, Cuomo shot back, “I think it is a political issue.

“I think it is the New York Post. I think it’s Michael Goodwin, I think it’s Bob McManus,” the governor said, naming two Post columnists.

New York began a phased reopening in early June.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis began easing his state’s stay-athome order in early May.

On Sunday, Florida reported more than 9,000 new daily coronavirus cases for a total of 423,856, surpassing New York state’s overall tally and coming in second behind California’s.

Florida also recorded 77 more deaths, for a total of 5,854.

In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey began allowing some businesses to reopen in May with social-distancing. Businesses such as bars and gyms remain restricted.

On Sunday, Arizona health officials reported 1,900 new cases and nine more deaths, bringing the respective totals to 162,014 and 3,305.

Asked for a response to Cuomo’s comments, Ducey’s spokesman said, “Arizona followed the White House gating criteria” for reopening.

“We have and continue to take a data-driven approach to this public-health crisis, and we are rooting for every other state, including New York,” the rep said.

DeSantis’ office did not respond to requests for comment from The Post.