These are not totals by day; they're increments added today. See the chart in the first tweet for totals.
6/8
It's important to note that each day's total is also a net - for example, if 1 is removed on a specific date, that could represent any combination of additions and subtractions that add to -1.
7/8
1. Use a test that detects fragments of the virus and then designate every positive test as a "case." 2. Test at a massive scale, including people who are asymptomatic.
1/4
3. Issue guidance that every death with a positive test should be counted as a COVID death.
These are surveillance tools that have morphed into tools for control of every part of our lives.
2/4
Now that the metrics are being used as evidence that we need to stay locked down and wear masks, we need more accurate tests (lower cycle threshold) and more scrutiny of primary causes of deaths.
3/4
When evaluating the COVID death toll, it's important to understand that all deaths within 30 days of a positive COVID test are considered COVID deaths unless exclusion criteria are met (trauma, suicide).
Everyone in the hospital or long-term care is tested.
Source: Email from FDOH administrator: "1) If an individual had a positive COVID-19 (antigen, PCR) test after January 19, 2020 and the medical provider signing certificate considers COVID-19 to have contributed to their death months later...
"—it would be considered a COVID-19 death even if past 30 days of testing.
2) All deaths that occur within 30 days of COVID-19 positive result are considered a COVID-19 death—unless one of the exclusion criteria are met (i.e. trauma, suicide)"