cbaker_admin
Thu, 07/23/2020 – 15:30
Former CDC director Thomas R. Frieden, MD, estimates that states are reporting only 40% of the data needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, based on data from the nonprofit Resolve to Save Lives, a health advocacy initiative he oversees. A report by the organization outlines 15 indicators that every state should report daily on a public “dashboard” accessible by anyone. Along with cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, these indications should include what percentage of infections came from clusters of people who know one another, how many health care workers were infected on the job, how long it takes to receive a diagnostic test result, and what percentage of any city’s or county’s residents are wearing face coverings. Frieden also suggests tracking how many people in any city are hospitalized with coronavirus or influenza symptoms, irrespective of test results. He adds that states should disclose, if legally possible, the names of facilities with major outbreaks, such as nursing homes, prisons, schools, or meatpacking plants. CDC spokesman Tom Skinner says the agency has made plans with the states to track 14 of the 15 indicators cited in Frieden’s report, with the exception of one related to face coverings, citing ambiguity over how to track it.
