1/ So this tweet about pneumonia deaths in Florida, claiming the state usually has far fewer pneumonia deaths than it has had this year, is - how do I put this politely? - NOT TRUE. NOT AT ALL. (Though it has now been retweeted 4K+ times and is starting to take off.) Let’s look. https://twitter.com/squireforyou/status/1265553065056362497

2/ @squireforyou is correct that, per @cdcgov, FL is reporting 5248 pneumonia deaths, including 960 from COVID. It is also reporting 301 flu deaths. Total flu/pneumonia deaths in 2020 that don’t include COVID: 4,589. But his prior year numbers are wildly wrong...

3/ Here are the real numbers, per the Florida Health Dept. Flu Review: Florida has 250-300 deaths PER WEEK during the winter and spring (sometimes more). http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/influenza/_documents/2020-w5-flu-review.pdf

4/ And as we are now in about week 18-19 (there’s some reporting lag) non-COVID influenza and pneumonia deaths are actually LOWER in Florida in 2020 than the average counts in previous years. Please, @jack, don’t let this provably incorrect misinformation spread. @govrondesantis