NEW YORK — It was front-page news from the New York Times: Nine high-ranking officials within Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s state health department have either quit or moved on to new jobs.

The report suggests that Cuomo is disregarding their advice. One example cited in the story is that Cuomo insisted that COVID-19 vaccinations be administered at hospitals, where powerful lobbyist friends of the Governor have more influence and sway. 

“Hospitals are vaccinating hospital workers, which is really important because if the hospital workers don’t get vaccinated, then they will get sick and we will lose the hospitals," Cuomo said in a radio interview Monday. 

Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose clash with his own health department earlier this year led to the ouster of his health commissioner, was quick to call out Cuomo, with whom he has also battled throughout this pandemic. 

“Every leader in America should be listening to their health officials," de Blasio said. "Doesn’t matter if you are a governor, mayor or the president of the United States. Every leader in America should be listening to their health officials and weighing their analysis and their suggestions.”

Last month, an Erie County judge upstate ruled that Cuomo’s color-coded orange zone restrictions were not backed up by science well enough to restrict indoor dining. Cuomo wound up eliminating all orange zones shortly thereafter. Critics say the Governor’s data should have been undergoing greater scrutiny all along. 

“There was never any data, or any public health expert who didn’t work for the Governor who came out and said this makes sense and here is why," said Republican State Sen. Minority Leader Robert Ortt. "Let alone any mega aspect to back it up. The 10:00 curfew. Do we know for a fact that COVID doesn’t spread before 9:59?”

Last week, state Attorney General Letitia James, a fellow Democrat, accused Cuomo of underreporting nursing home deaths from COVID-19 by as much as 50%. That prompted the Cuomo administration to promptly release data that showed nursing home deaths, including residents who died in hospitals, were actually much higher than Cuomo’s team previously acknowledged. 

During a committee meeting in Albany Monday, Republican lawmakers tried to issue subpoenas for more nursing home data, but the effort was blocked by Democrats. 

Republicans will get another shot at seeking information from Cuomo’s health department. Later this month, Health Commissioner Howard Zucker is expected to testify before a joint legislative budget committee hearing.