Public Coronavirus Data Varies Widely Between States

By: , and - April 27, 2020 12:00 am

A team of University of Washington medical providers prepare to conduct testing for the new coronavirus at Queen Anne Healthcare, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in Seattle. States differ on releasing coronavirus data. Ted S. Warren/The Associated Press

This story was updated April 28, 2020, to correct a reference to the size of census block groups.

Read Stateline coverage of the latest state action on coronavirus.

As part of a collaborative effort, Stateline and Spotlight PA surveyed six states across the U.S. to determine what information they have made accessible to the public via their websites. Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA and Anna Orso of the Philadelphia Inquirer co-authored this article.

With the coronavirus pandemic, timing is everything. When should states shut down? When should they reopen? Which hospitals need the most supplies right now? Across the United States, those decisions largely hinge on good, accurate public health data.

And yet, how much information is shared with the public varies widely among the states.

As part of a collaborative effort, Stateline and Spotlight PA surveyed six states across the U.S. — Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington — to determine what information they have made accessible to the public via their websites.

All six are regularly releasing data on cases by age, sex and county. But beyond those basic numbers, the patchwork of available information shows the differing ability of health officials to accurately collect and report data, as well as how much they think the public needs to know.

The demand from the public has largely centered around where positive cases and deaths are located. While most states made county-level information available soon after they began reporting cases, some have hesitated to localize data further because of privacy concerns.

In recent weeks, policymakers and advocates have pressed officials to begin reporting more demographic data about both positive cases and those who have been tested. In particular, racial data has proved critical, as early numbers indicated communities of color were being disproportionately harmed. Calls for more transparency have revealed systemic failures by some states to collect that information when tests are administered.

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Christine Vestal

Christine Vestal covers mental health and drug addiction for Stateline. Previously, she covered health care for McGraw-Hill and the Financial Times.

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