THREAD: Trump may not be the only one fudging the numbers on the coronavirus. Here are four states that look like they might be cooking their books to move toward earlier reopening: https://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/healthcare/news/2020/05/27/177780/states-cooking-books-coronavirus-data/">https://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/he...
The day before Trump toured an Arizona mask factory, the state Department of Health Services told researchers to "pause" work on coronavirus models. The state is also arguing in court against having to disclose information about outbreaks in nursing homes. https://tucson.com/news/local/arizona-tells-coronavirus-modeling-team-of-state-university-experts-to-stop-work/article_99a4348b-5007-5632-8eb6-22e3e2d57a29.html">https://tucson.com/news/loca...
The official in charge of Florida& #39;s online coronavirus dashboard says she was removed from the project for refusing to remove data that went against the government& #39;s preferred narrative. At least two other state officials say they faced similar pressures. https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2020/05/19/florida-health-department-officials-told-manager-to-delete-coronavirus-data-before-reassigning-her-emails-show/">https://www.tampabay.com/news/heal...
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has repeatedly had to apologize for misrepresenting data, most notably in a graph that put case numbers out of order in a way that created the false impression that infections were consistently dropping. https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/just-cuckoo-state-latest-data-mishap-causes-critics-cry-foul/182PpUvUX9XEF8vO11NVGO/">https://www.ajc.com/news/stat...
And Nebraska& #39;s Governor Pete Ricketts announced that the state would stop releasing information on infection rates at meatpacking plants right as the facilities emerged as major coronavirus vectors. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/05/12/nebraska-coronavirus-case-numbers-meatpacking/">https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/...
Whether these are mistakes or malice, they& #39;re happening right as Trump has started publicly claiming death rates are being inflated—even though his own advisers says the death toll has, if anything, been *underreported.* https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/05/13/854873605/fauci-says-u-s-death-toll-is-likely-higher-other-covid-stats-need-adjusting-too">https://www.npr.org/sections/...
Trump is recklessly pushing for state governments to ease social-distancing measures. As we move forward, it will only become more important to understand the death toll and resist efforts to underplay the severity of the coronavirus pandemic. https://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/healthcare/news/2020/05/27/177780/states-cooking-books-coronavirus-data/">https://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/he...