The fight over CDC’s access to coronavirus data is the newest flashpoint in the pandemic response. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-pulse/2020/07/15/whats-behind-the-explosive-new-fight-over-covid-19-data-789189

We tried to unpack the issues in @POLITICOPulse today. Here are three points to consider…

1. Frustration with CDC’s data-reporting capabilities has been building for months.

(Remember how delayed the CDC data was at the start of the pandemic - and everyone turned to Johns Hopkins dashboards instead?)

2. So HHS moved to supplement CDC’s data reports months ago by quickly contracting with two outside vendors.

That’s created its own challenges - there are now disparate data streams that don’t always line up, and some Trump officials have said the CDC data is the weak link.

2a. HHS insists that CDC will continue to have full access to the data and that its leaders are fine with the change.

3. But after Trump’s attacks on his own public health officials, any move perceived to be weakening CDC - understandably - raises new questions of political interference.

3a. Are there reasons to raise questions about the CDC data move? Yes.

Is there evidence that the decision is because Trump is trying to hide or monkey with the data? Not so far as @dariustahir @rachel_roubein @adamcancryn and I found as of yet.