The news media, including The Tribune, keeps touting a decrease in cases of COVID-19 (“Utah reports five new school outbreaks of coronavirus on Tuesday, but overall cases are down,” Sept. 1), even as there continue to be hundreds of new cases daily. The increase in case numbers may be down, but that’s probably because fewer tests are being performed.
Our rate of positive cases is still at between 8% and 10%. This is the best indicator of whether the pandemic is being controlled. Not until we get to 3%, according to infectious disease experts and epidemiologists, can we really start to contain the virus.
So, no, cases aren’t down. They’re still increasing and, with positive tests at nearly 10%, the epidemic is still out of control.
We, your readers, need honesty. Especially during this pandemic. It’s the very least you can give us.
Lynn Martinez, Brigham City