The COVID-19 pandemic brought out the best in some leaders—and the worst in others. While some governors made headlines for their swift actions and decisive policies, others found themselves in the hot seat for decisions that, in hindsight, look like textbook cases of what not to do.
One such leader is Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, whose handling of the state’s most vulnerable population during the pandemic has come under intense scrutiny.
The numbers alone paint a grim picture, but the decisions behind those numbers are what really have people scratching their heads. You might think that in the midst of a deadly pandemic, the most vulnerable among us—those in nursing homes and assisted living centers—would be the top priority for protection. But in Minnesota, that logic seemed to get lost in the shuffle. Under Governor Walz’s watch, a staggering 80% of COVID-related deaths in the state occurred in these long-term care facilities. Yes, you read that right—80%.
From Fox News:
Under Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s watch during the COVID-19 pandemic, Minnesota experienced a devastating impact among its most vulnerable, as 80% of COVID-related deaths in the state occurred among residents of long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and assisted living centers…“This was what everyone was doing. This was not a mistake. It wasn’t like no one thought about this. There was complexity in how you deal with this,” the Democratic governor said in May 2020 while the devastation was ongoing.
So, what happened? It turns out that the state had a policy in place that allowed patients with confirmed or suspected COVID to be transferred to these very facilities after being discharged from hospitals. This wasn’t just a one-off mistake; it was a deliberate decision, mirrored by other states, that many now believe was a colossal failure. And if you’re looking for that policy on the Minnesota government’s website, good luck. It’s been scrubbed from public view and can only be accessed through the Wayback Machine, like some relic of an era everyone’s trying to forget.
Critics argue that this policy directly contributed to the high death toll among Minnesota’s elderly population. And yet, even as the situation worsened, Walz stood by his decision. In May 2020, as the devastation was unfolding, he doubled down, insisting, “This was what everyone was doing. This was not a mistake.” It’s almost as if admitting fault would have been more painful than the tragic consequences that followed.
But the problem wasn’t just the ill-conceived policy. Nursing homes in Minnesota were also left scrambling for the basic tools needed to protect their residents and staff. According to a report from the Star Tribune, these facilities were told in April 2020 that the state’s emergency stockpile of N95 masks was reserved for hospitals only.
To add insult to injury, families of nursing home residents were discouraged from bringing their loved ones home, even as they remained uninformed about COVID-positive cases within these facilities. Many families were left heartbroken, never getting the chance to say goodbye to their loved ones, all because of a policy that seemed to value hospital resources over the lives of the elderly.
Today, Democrats want Americans to forget Walz’s record and make him our vice president. But from everything we’ve seen from his record, Walz would be a far-left leader who will push harsh measures on the entire country.
Key Takeaways:
- Governor Tim Walz’s administration allowed COVID-19 patients to be transferred to nursing homes, leading to 80% of the state’s COVID-related deaths in these facilities.
- Nursing homes were deprioritized for essential protective equipment, leaving residents and staff vulnerable.
- The policy, now scrubbed from public view, has faced intense criticism, but Walz has stood by his decisions.
Source: Fox News
