New York finds some surprising results about those who test positive.
President Trump said last week that he plans to refocus the White House coronavirus task force on reopening the economy, and one area that deserves more attention is data collection. More states are starting to gather information on the underlying health conditions of people who get sick with coronavirus. That will help doctors identify and treat high-risk patients, but information on the habits of infected individuals will also be important to guide reopening plans.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has directed hospitals to begin asking new coronavirus patients for their occupation, usual transportation mode and neighborhood. Although New York has been shut down for seven weeks, several thousand people are still testing positive and hundreds are being hospitalized each day.
Last week Mr. Cuomo disclosed some preliminary findings: Twenty-two percent of those who entered the hospital came from a nursing home or assisted living facility. Ninety-six percent had an underlying health condition. Yet only 17% were employed, and only 4% in New York City had been taking public transportation.
The Editorial Board – The Wall Street Journal – May 10, 2020
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