The Spokane Regional Health District will no longer report COVID-19 data on weekends due to an increasing workload that has meant an increasing workload for staff.
“The increase in test results has had a significant impact on the district’s ability to process data and provide appropriate case and contact monitoring,” Spokane County Health Officer Bob Lutz said in a statement from Friday press announcing the change in protocol.
“By adjusting the reporting requirements,” he continued, “we can focus on providing people with the information they need to take care of themselves or resume public activities.”
The decision was announced the same day Spokane County set a daily record of cases with 134 and amid a sharp increase in cases since the county moved to Phase 2 of the state’s reopening plan.
The statement noted that Lutz believes “a focus on daily numbers can be distracting from trend data, which is most useful in determining how Spokane County is failing to curb the spread of COVID-19.”
“We need to look at the trend in the data over time periods to see if our health measures are making a difference,” Lutz said.
“When I look at the past two weeks, I see that we are constantly increasing in case counts. There may be some good days and some bad days, but it is the general trend that guides us to establish the necessary measures, such as the necessary facial coatings, to keep our community healthy. “
You can contact Ted McDermott at (509) 459-5405 or [email protected]
