Covid misinterpretation used in decisions made

Hawaii is the second hardest hit of all the states economically by the COVID-19 virus; the recent reports of large increases of COVID-19 “cases” will only make that worse, but those reports are inaccurate and misleading.

The reports from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of increase in “cases” of COVID-19 do not separate the tests that are positive for antibodies, which means the active disease was in the past, from those that are positive for a virus, which means it is an active disease case.

The recent large increase in testing nationally has obviously found many with antibodies from cases in the past. But reporting and including these old and inactive cases with the active tests and cases only leads to unwarranted concern and wrong political decisions.

Actually, those with those antibodies from previous cases in the past are safer because of the immunity they may carry.

The factors that should lead to concern are an increase in the active virus on testing or an increase in hospital admissions due to COVID-19 or deaths due to COVID-19, which actually are falling.

Misinterpretation of the reported increase in “cases,” which includes both the old and the new can be used, mistakenly, politically and wrongly to increase restrictions and affect our economy, businesses, education and lives.

Dr. George S. Lavenson

Lahaina