#NY hospital under investigation for illegal use of COVID vaccines

The Cuomo administration has launched a probe of Montefiore New Rochelle hospital for flouting state rules to get the coronavirus vaccine to government workers who are currently ineligible to receive it, officials said Friday.

Under the state’s current 1A criteria, only health care workers, certified EMS responders and nursing residents and staff are eligible to be vaccinated.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has refused to expand it despite mounting stockpiles of unused vaccine and pleas from local governments, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who raised the New Rochelle controversy on WNYC radio Friday.

“As I understand it, some breaking news just now, that the City of New Rochelle, which obviously was in the epicenter of the beginning of the crisis — they just proceeded to vaccinate first responders and essential workers and the state of New York announced they are fining the city and taking away their vaccine. Which is punitive, which is counterproductive, which is stopping vaccine from actually being used,” de Blasio said.

The mayor’s office later clarified that the probe centers on the actions of Montefiore’s New Rochelle hospital.

Cuomo and de Blasio are engaged in a nasty feud over who should be eligible and who should receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Cuomo claims city medical facilities are lagging in administering the vaccine to health care workers while de Blasio and others complain that the state rules are too restrictive and are preventing the city from vaccinating front-line workers including police officers and people 75 and over.

“You told that story … of local health officials upstate having to throw away vaccine even though they had people immediately available to take the vaccine because state law literally would have fined them $1 million, doctor’s licenses would have been threatened,” the mayor said.

“I mean, talk about arbitrary and capricious,” de Blasio continued. “They’ve created a situation that’s creating fear and confusion and where doctors can’t act even when they know someone’s vulnerable.”

New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson confirmed the Montefiore move but blamed it on a screwup.

“Wednesday around midday, we were informed by the leadership of Montefiore in New Rochelle that the hospital had been authorized to provide vaccinations to municipal and school district employees in the city. We mobilized our workforce to get people vaccinated and that process began,” Bramson told The Post.

But he added, “Yesterday evening we learned Montefiore misinterpreted the state guidelines and as a result should not have been administering the vaccines and the process stopped.”

“It’s enormously frustrating and the City for its part is trying to do the right thing and adhere rigorously to the rules. We were told to do X, and then told to do Y. That’s it,” the New Rochelle mayor said.

Bramson insisted that New Rochelle city officials are not facing fines.

But the state Health Department confirmed it’s launched an investigation into alleged violations of vaccine safety protocols at Montefiore New Rochelle, which could lead to fines and other disciplinary action.

“DOH is investigating this egregious violation of the state’s clearly defined guidelines for the COVID-19 vaccine. As we’ve said repeatedly, current eligibility for the vaccine is limited to health care and hospital workers, seniors living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and people with disabilities living in congregate settings,” said DOH spokesman Jonah Bruno.

“The facility is facing potential sanctions and penalties for these violations and its vaccine supply will be reallocated to the County Health Department,” he said.