Are Some of Inslee’s Re-Open COVID Criteria Misleading?

You may recall back on April 29th, Gov. Inslee revealed his 'risk assessment' website, with it's five stove-top like dials.

The dials, according to Inslee, were to provide transparency and allow citizens to see exactly what 'has' to happen to allow the state to continue to re-open. The categories involve disease activity, testing capacity and availability, contract tracing, risk to venerable populations, and health care system readiness.

Of these the last two are misleading, perhaps even racist, say some critics. And, they could potentially be 'holding up' the re-open process. Our assessment is based upon May 14 2020 data from the site.

For category four, Risk to Venerable Populations, it includes necessary and reasonable assessments of what's being done to protect at-risk and elderly persons, especially in nursing homes and assisted care centers. That's good.  BUT, the other half is "demographic and equity data."    Critics, including the Washington Policy Center, question how breaking down COVID cases by ethnic, gender or racial profiles should be used to determine how fast we re-open. That kind of data would perhaps be useful in the future for long-term case studies but not pertinent to the present.

Some critics say it's even 'racist' to allow ethnic policies concerning a pandemic to determine current economic policy; including Inslee's choice to use the word "equity."

The fifth category, Health Care System Readiness has already been shown to be in solid shape. Based upon the story we shared earlier this week about how medical facilities and hospitals are far from being 'overrun' with COVID cases; how hospital COVID census figures are tiny virtually everywhere in our region and most of state; and numerous personnel are being furloughed; the reading today is misleading.

The Health Care System Readiness dial shows 'almost' low risk.  But it should be way lower, perhaps near -0- risk.  Part of the risk factor in this category, according to the site, depends upon stockpiling supplies to prepare for  "a possible fall surge." 

So, Inslee and company will not allow this category to truly reflect what's going on NOW until he thinks we have enough supplies for something that might or might NOT happen? These dials are supposed to address risk factors NOW for re-opening...not something that's widely debated and believed to be only a remote possibility according to growing numbers of medical experts.

To see the Risk Assessment 'stove top dials' for yourself, click on the buttons below.