California is poised to change the way it counts COVID-19 deaths based on a new algorithm that is being developed in conjunction with federal health authorities, according to a senior Los Angeles County official, who estimated that the county’s current framework is overcounting COVID-19 fatalities by as much as 20 percent.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACPH), stated at a recent press conference that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is “looking at making some revisions to how deaths are counted” and that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will review the guidance before potentially adopting it.
