"US CDC Does Not Disclose Significant Amount of COVID-19 Data"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been criticized for not disclosing a significant portion of COVID-19 related data.

The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 20th (local time) that the CDC recently released data on the effectiveness of booster shots for those under 65, citing this as an example.

The CDC omitted data for the key age group of adults aged 18 to 49. Experts analyzed booster shot effectiveness based on Israeli data instead of U.S. aggregated data due to this omission.

The NYT pointed out, "Since those aged 18 to 49 had already developed considerable immunity from the first and second doses, the booster shot's effect was likely less significant compared to other age groups."

The CDC's withholding of COVID-19 related data is not limited to booster shots. The daily wastewater surveillance data, which was supposed to be publicly released via their website, also sparked controversy.

Because people infected with COVID-19 shed the virus through excrement, analyzing wastewater can estimate how widely the virus has spread in a particular community or which variants are prevalent.

The CDC has been collecting related data from local health authorities since the early days of the COVID-19 crisis two years ago. Critics argue that earlier disclosure of this data would have helped state governments and others respond more effectively to the pandemic.

The CDC explained that data must undergo verification before being released. This involves confirming the accuracy of the collected data.

A CDC spokesperson said, "One reason for the delay in releasing data is the fear that the information might be misinterpreted."

However, some analyses suggest that the bureaucratic work culture within the CDC also contributed to the delay in data disclosure.

The NYT explained, "Before releasing various data, the CDC must obtain approval from supervisory agencies and report to the White House."

Samuel Scarpino, director of the Rockefeller Foundation Pandemic Prevention Institute, also stated, "Decisions regarding the release of various CDC data are influenced by external factors."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.