We still need answers on COVID-19

Four years ago, we were at the very beginning of a long, dark, difficult lockdown. A mysterious virus originating in China was causing widespread illness in Europe, grocery shelves were emptying, and people were searching for masks and protective coverings, with many of us afraid to leave our homes. We didn't understand much about COVID-19 — or the horror this strain of the SARS virus would unleash.

Now, we know so much more — about the science, the scope of the tragedy, and the many decisions made, both wise and mistaken. Still, there's much we do not fully understand. And there are many lessons we must learn and issues we must assess, to prepare for whatever dangerous contagions might come our way in the future.

That's why the review first sought by Gov. Kathy Hochul nearly two years ago remains so important. Hochul hired The Olson Group LTD, a Virginia consultant, in December 2022 and has spent $1.1 million on the firm's work. But there's still no report and no timeline of when it will be completed. That's unacceptable. Hochul said in January she finds it unacceptable, too, blaming some of the delay on how long it took to find an independent consultant. But it's been more than a year since the group was chosen. More urgency is warranted.

The State Legislature wants to take the analysis of the pandemic a step further, to gather a commission of experts with subpoena power. That could be helpful — as long as it doesn't overlap with the governor's study or repeat the same steps previous efforts have taken, and as long as it remains apolitical and entirely independent of state officials' agendas.

A comprehensive analysis of New York's response is needed, including an assessment of critical decisions by state officials, the tools and staffing that hospitals and nursing homes had and lacked, and what should be done differently the next time. We need to understand what our elected officials, schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions must do to prepare. What about horrors we can't envision, ones that primarily affect our children, or the air we breathe, or the things we touch, or the food we eat? We know from COVID-19 that the possibility is all too real, that these threats are not just fictional fantasies. Whether from Hochul's consultant or a future commission, we need a detailed assessment — with clear answers and prescriptions for next steps. And then we need to follow through.

Four years ago this week we were worried and unprepared, wholly uncertain of what was going to happen next. Now, even as we've moved on from those early dark days, uncertainty about what comes next remains.

There's much more we need to know and much more we need to do.