While this may not be the only issue, one major difference is that @COVID19Tracking is showing deaths when they were *reported* whereas the CDC is showing deaths when they actually *occurred*.
The problem is that, because there can be a fairly long lag between when a death occurs and when it gets recorded, both ways paint a somewhat incomplete picture. And there's probably not a great third way/middle ground unless you want to do a lot of fancy modeling/estimating.
The CDC way makes the curve look like it's sloping down faster than it actually is because some deaths that have occurred recently haven't been recorded yet.
But the other way to some degree has the opposite problem and can make the peak look later and flatter than it really is.
But the other way to some degree has the opposite problem and can make the peak look later and flatter than it really is.
FWIW, generally I prefer the @COVID19Tracking way but making a mental note that there are meaningful lags in reporting.
