Health experts warn of loss of data integrity with new Covid-19 reporting rules

Nearly three dozen current and former members of a federal health advisory committee have written they are "extremely concerned" about new federal requirements for reporting Covid-19 data. The letter, which was previously unpublished and obtained by the New York Times, comes from those affiliated with the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Committee, which provides guidance to the CDC and HHS. Last month, the Trump administration ordered hospitals to bypass the CDC and report Covid-19 data solely to HHS, a move that raised concerns about transparency and equitable distribution of limited medical supplies. In the letter, experts warned that moving away from CDC's system for tracking Covid-19 data "will have serious consequences on data integrity," and that already-strapped hospitals are scrambling to comply with the new rules. "We strongly advise [that the CDC's tracking team] be allowed to continue their important and trusted work in their mission to save lives and protect Americans from health threats," the experts wrote.