New York’s Health Commissioner Bassett will resign, take new pathway to Harvard come January 1

ALBANY, NY- After only one-year and one-month at the helm, New York’s Health Department Commissioner will resign come January 1.

Mary Bassett took over from Dr. Zucker, who was in charge under the Cuomo administration. Zucker took heat over the handling of the COVID pandemic, including the controversial reveal that Cuomo’s administration chose to keep quiet the actual number of COVID nursing home deaths.

Bassett officially took the position on December 1, 2021, but the Associated Press is reporting that she has now made the “very difficult decision” to vacate the position to return to Harvard, where Bassett held a director position for the school of health and also served as a professor.

She also was a former Health Commissioner for New York City.

In the wake of Bassett’s departure, Governor Hochul gave thanks for her service after leading the Department of Health while battling with COVID, polio outbreaks and mpox.

Image via New York State Department of Health.