New Cases Spike, Media Sensationalize, Ducey Does Nothing

 

As I noted on Sunday, Omicron has finally started doing its dirty work in State 48. As of then, case rates had doubled over the week.  

Yesterday AzDHS put out a chart that is getting a lot of attention in the media that shows the same thing:

Then also yesterday, AzDHS reported 14,192 new cases. Some outlets, like usnews.com couldn't resist sensationalizing it, claiming it was the highest new number of cases in a year. I heard the same claim in a radio report on KJZZ.

Well yeah it was, but the number was high because of holiday reporting snafus. The usnews.com story said this, but it was in one sentence in the third paragraph. 

More responsible outlets presented the number in context. For example, azfamily.com reported the number but immediately and extensively quoted health officials who explained that the number was an anomaly.

But even they couldn't resist a headline with that huge number. Everybody knows those daily counts are not reliable. 

As I have been saying for the last year, the right numbers are seven day trailing averages. Of course, the media can't report that because it changes gradually and gradual changes don't attract eyeballs.

Do-Nothing Doug

Meanwhile, governors of states with competent leadership have had their eye on the Omicron variant since Thanksgiving. They have been making statements and plans, and issuing executive orders to authorize state agencies to take action.

Not so here in Arizona. Our COVIDiot governor won't say or do anything about this wave. 

He's too busy prosecuting his public illness campaign by signing meaningless executive orders banning vaccine mandates. He also published a year-end video talking about how great everything was this year, where he never spoke the words "pandemic" or "COVID-19" even though over 25,000 of his constituents have died from it.

He is rightly getting roasted for his do-nothing attitude in traditional media. He's also getting flamed on Twitter.  Here's a sampling of replies to the thread where AzDHS posted the graphic above:


Thankfully we will be rid of this turkey in another year or so. Hopefully we won't wind up with someone even worse.

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