In March, Cuomo released a nursing home guidance that patients were allowed to reenter nursing homes even if they had COVID-19. Cuomo rescinded that order in May 2020.

Nursing and assisted living centers have accounted for roughly 6% of the nation's COVID-19 infections but close to 40% of all deaths, according to state-by-state statistics monitored by ABC News.

In April of 2020, one month into the pandemic, COVID-19 began sweeping through nursing homes, with more than 2,400 residents already dead. Norman Arbeeny, 89, would be one of them.