It’s almost as if they only care about the virus based on whether it is a political asset or a political liability. It seems safe to say it has become a political liability:
Biden officials trying to recalculate U.S. Covid-19 hospitalizations – POLITICO
The Biden administration is working on recalculating the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations in the U.S., according to two senior officials familiar with the matter.
A task force comprised of scientists and data specialists at the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working with hospitals nationwide to improve Covid-19 reporting. The group is asking hospitals to report numbers of patients who go to the facility because they have Covid-19 and separate those from individuals who go in for other reasons and test positive after being admitted, the two officials said.
Some of us have been demanding this for two years now, but it’s nice to see the Experts finally come on board.
The administration’s goal is to get a more accurate sense of Covid-19’s impact across the country and whether the virus is causing severe disease. Senior Biden health officials have increasingly relied on hospitalization numbers, rather than case counts, to determine how to respond to the virus as well as the efficacy of the vaccines. Lower hospitalization rates could inform the administration’s thinking on public health measures such as masking. More accurate Covid-19 numbers also could provide a better picture of the strain on hospitals and which resources they might need during surges.
In a press briefing Feb. 2, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said both hospitalization and death rates — as well as vaccination rates — are key to determining whether to lift public health measures such as masking.
As Omicron cases have come down, state and local officials across the country have advocated that the country begin to return back to normal and ease public health measures. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Delaware Gov. John Carney, both Democrats, announced Monday they planned to lift mask mandates for schools in March.
In other words, they’re looking for a way out. They’re looking for an excuse to say, “Covid-19 is no longer a major threat to public health, we can lift the restrictions and go back to normal.”
At least I hope that’s what they’re planning. You can never be too sure with these people. I would not be shocked if the US is the country that holds out the longest in terms of keeping Covid restrictions in place.
Never underestimate the aggressive incompetence of the US government.