Senators Demand Accurate COVID-19 Death Count, Slam Misinformation Campaign

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Senators Kamala D. Harris, Richard Blumenthal, Mazie Hirono, Ed Markey, and Sherrod Brown have written a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Peter Gaynor and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, expressing grave concern over the recent misinformation campaign surrounding the COVID-19 death count. The senators have long urged FEMA and HHS to obtain an accurate count of COVID-19 fatalities based on legislation passed in 2018, but the Trump administration has suggested fewer deaths than what is being reported, spreading misinformation to the American public.

Key Takeaways:

  • The senators, led by Kamala D. Harris, demand an accurate and transparent death toll and consistent COVID-19 statistics during the pandemic.
  • They criticize the Trump administration's attempt to deflate the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19, claiming the death count has been inflated.
  • The senators point to reports indicating that administration officials asked Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials to exclude individuals from the official death count who were presumed positive or who may not have died as a direct result of contracting the virus.
  • Public health experts estimate the U.S. death toll is likely higher than is being reflected in government data sets, citing excess deaths this year compared to the same time period in previous years.
  • The senators reference the undercount in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, warning that without clear guidelines, inconsistent numbers and misinformation will impact government accountability, resource allocation, and recovery from the crisis.
  • The senators call for FEMA and HHS to work with experts to establish interim guidelines specifically for this pandemic and put an end to inconsistent data and messaging surrounding the COVID-19 death count.

Statistics:

  • Over 90,000 reported COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. (as reported by the CDC)
  • Estimated excess deaths this year compared to the same time period in previous years, remarkably higher than the current COVID-19 death count
  • Trump administration suggests fewer deaths than what is being reported
  • Number of individuals excluded from the official death count due to presumed positive status or indirect cause of death is unknown

Sources:

  • "Letter to FEMA and HHS from Senators Harris et al." (May 15, 2020)
  • "National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on best practices for tracking morbidity and mortality during a disaster"