LETTER: Misleading numbers surround coronavirus crisis

Why are new COVID-19 infections the primary reporting metric when it is well understood that, due to limited testing, infections are undercounted? Coronavirus infection numbers are directly proportional to the availability of testing – a situation that improves daily. So an increase in the infection count may give the false appearance that the COVID virus spread is worsening when it may be lessening — we don’t know for sure — and we’re just testing more.

Medical experts tell us the vast majority of people who contract the virus experience flu-like symptoms and recover at home or have no symptoms at all. Therefore, focusing on the daily infection count isn’t as meaningful as measuring the hospitalization rate for the virus — a more accurate gauge of the virus’s impact.

I hope hospitalization rates are declining — but I don’t know because that trend isn’t widely reported. Therefore, I’m concerned our policymakers’ decisions are influenced more by the knowingly inaccurate infection count that leads the daily news. The stakes — our health and the economy — are too high to get this wrong. Please add the COVID hospitalization rates to your reporting.