She's not apologizing for the deaths, she's apologizing for putting Dems in an awkward position:

But instead of a mea culpa to the grieving family members [...] or the critics who say the Health Department spread COVID-19 in the care facilities with a [...] directive that nursing homes admit infected patients, DeRosa tried to make amends with the fellow Democrats for the political inconvenience it caused them.

“we froze” out of fear the true numbers would “be used against us” by federal prosecutors

Good instincts!

Now the true numbers will be used against you, and, your damning efforts to cover up will be used against you as well.

Great dig and thread Patriot, Glad she had the courage to speak up.