Florida still lowballing fatality numbers.

[Crunchy Frog]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/after-refusing-for-weeks-florida-reveals-flurry-of-deaths-at-individual-nursing-homes-alfs/ar-BB13uoDx

After refusing for weeks, Florida reveals flurry of deaths at individual nursing homes, ALFs


The administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis disclosed the fatality numbers after several news organizations, including The Miami Herald, filed suit under the state’s public records law to force the data’s release — and in the wake of withering pressure from elder advocates and the families of long-term care residents who have been isolated in nursing homes and assisted living facilities for a month

Problems immediately emerged with what was released. For example, more than a month ago, administrators at the 180-bed Atria Willow Wood ALF in Fort Lauderdale confirmed that at least six residents had died of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. But the chart released Friday includes only three resident deaths as confirmed, while three remained “under investigation.”

Some of the data raised eyebrows. One nursing home in the Panhandle, the 210-bed Southern Oaks Care Center, was reported to have had three resident deaths — though recent data from health administrators showed 94 residents of the Pensacola home had been infected. Based on previous data, 40% to 50% of long-term care residents infected with the virus die.

I wonder what the real numbers are. If they've got something to hide, I suspect it's huge.

[Cha]

1. KR!

[mcar]

2. Floridian here

I agree with you - the real numbers are much higher than is being officially reported.

My sis and BIL are on the Atlantic coast, staying in a condo complex that they've stayed in for a couple weeks every spring. They retired last summer, planned to spend a few months there and then go to Europe. Obviously, plans changed.

They have been virtually alone in this 100 condo complex for the last several months. We Zoom chatted earlier with other family and she forwarded a video of the beach there today.

Packed. Packed with people. Not walking/exercising. Lounging, with umbrellas and coolers. Just like a regular May weekend at the beach.

They will continue to try to hide the numbers but in the next 2 weeks it is going to skyrocket, I fear.

[Crunchy Frog]

3. They'll get a ballpark figure eventually.

All they have to do is compare actual deaths with expected deaths during a given time period and extract the data that way.

Hope you and your family stay safe.

[mcar]

6. Thanks

We're safely tucked away. I haven't even gone into a grocery store in 7 weeks - we get delivery or Walmart curbside.

Hubby is happily teaching from home; I'm a freelance writer so that's no problem.

Stopped at our local Publix yesterday to drop all the plastic bags we've accumulated from all the grocery deliveries into the recycling bin out front of the store. I was masked and gloved. Maybe half the people going in and out were masked.

This is a primarly retirement area. I was SMH at all these idiots taking these risks when grocery delivery is simple.

[Crunchy Frog]

10. We've been locked down here since mid March.

We get ou groceries through Instacart, and I disinfect anything that goes in a fridge or freezer. The kids are unhappily doing school from home.

We're extremely wary, since my mom is 80, and I'm in my late fifties.

We're in NYS, though fortunately not in the hard hit area. We also have very accessible testing in our county, and get frequent, accurate updates on numbers of cases, numbers of hospitalized, critical and non-critical, and fatality numbers.

Even though we're not hard hit, hospitals here have had as many as 50 cases, with half in ICU, at a time, so I imagine it hasn't been easy for them.

Sorry for the dissertation, not much else to do.

[mcar]

11. I get it, completely. No need to apologize

I find it hard to believe how quickly we've all had to adapt to this new world.

When we get a grocery delivery, we go out on the front porch (where it's been delivered), and, in masks and gloves, take everything out of the plastic bags, spray it down with hydrogen peroxide, wipe it down with paper towels and bring it in the house.

Wash hands.

Put groceries away. Take produce out of plastic bags and clean it.

Wash hands.

Spray down counters, door handles, etc.

Wash hands.

Our small county (pop 120,000) has had 99 cases, 11 deaths. I suspect it is much higher.

[Crunchy Frog]

13. Our routine is we have a couple big plastic bins with lids

that we put just outside the garage, and the shopper puts everything in them.

I put on multiple layers, hat, gloves, and an N100 mask (mom managed to score a few from a local hardware store just before we locked down). I look like I'm going into hazardous waste, LOL.

We also managed to score some disinfectant wipes, which I've been using in conjunction with Chlorox spray. When I'm done I strip down to my underwear, put it in the wash, and take a shower, though I've been getting a little bit lackadaisical lately.

We don't get fresh produce because mom's too scared of it. I did order 20 lbs of fresh citrus from a farm in California, so that should be nice.

Our county has around 500,000, and we've had around 1,000 total cases so far, with 34 deaths. They've had a surge of new cases recently, but partly because they're doing more aggressive testing. The number of hospitalized people is gradually going down.

I'm very glad that our area is being honest and proactive, rather than trying to sweep things under the rug.

Anyway, that's my life story for now. Stay safe.

[clutterbox1830]

4. Story like these should get more attention.

[blitzen]

5. A nice even number, 50, today. I think they're just making the numbers up....

I can't be sure, but they seem to be even more often than odd numbers. I remember a 12 and a 24. Well, anyway, "lots of people are saying" that they're pulling the numbers out of their ass.

[Hortensis]

7. For balance, hospitals in my relatively low-population county and the

one next door are doing good. One of the nurses at the nearest, community hospital told me the first "peak" is believed to have passed already. They had 3 Covid patients today, and unnecessary visits are down so much that it's gone from lining people in the halls at worst-normal (non-Covid) to closing wings for lack of need.

They are, of course, concerned about what the openings will bring, and Florida's case rate has risen in the last week.

[clutterbox1830]

8. No surprise. Also they are not the only state that doing this.

*cough* Georgia *cough*

[Crunchy Frog]

9. Texas as well. I'm not buying their almost lowest in the country

fatality rates.

[ornotna]

12. Wait, what?

I read right here on DU that you can't hide the deaths.




Of course DeSantis is fudging the numbers, he's a tRump acolyte, it's what they do.

[Crunchy Frog]

14. You may have read it from me.

Ultimately, the raw data will tell the true story, through the discrepancy between expected deaths for the time of year, and actual deaths.

That's how they ultimately arrive at fatally numbers for the flu.

It may take awhile, but a reasonably accurate count will eventually come out.

[ornotna]

15. It wasn't you

Unfortunately the raw data will be flawed if the numbers released are false.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213376532