Pulling back on the reporting and transparency about COVID-19 information has concerned some public health experts, including Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, who told the publication that the trend is “not good for government and the public” because it makes it look like governments are “hiding stuff.”
Five things to know:
1. A month ago, the agency that runs Georgia’s state prisons stopped giving public updates about the number of new COVID-19 cases among inmates and staff members and cited its successful vaccination rates and “a declining number of COVID-19 cases among staff and inmates,” according to the report.
2. Georgia now has among the highest COVID-19 infection rates in the states, and one of the lowest vaccination rates, according to the report. Its Corrections Department hasn’t resumed posting case data on its website, but it told the publication it will decide over the next few weeks whether to begin reposting the data if the current state surge is sustained, according to the Aug. 27 report.
3. Florida had issued daily reports about COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations until the rate of positive tests dropped in June, but amid the current surge, the state has stuck with publishing weekly reports.
4. Nebraska stopped its daily COVID-19 dashboard June 30 and recently resumed reporting, but it only posts information weekly. Iowa also reports weekly, and Michigan reports three days per week, according to the report.
5. When a state government removes publicly accessible data, it should then provide a link to redirect people to where they can get the data, Dr. Benjamin said. He also said that a shortage of staff members to provide regular data supports the argument that states should invest more in staff and technology.
