Study: COVID-19 Hospitalization Numbers Might Be Significantly Inflated

Study: COVID-19 Hospitalization Numbers Might Be Significantly Inflated
A nurse cares for a COVID-19 patient inside the ICU (intensive care unit) at Adventist Health in Sonora, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2021. Nic Coury / AFP via Getty Images
Harry Lee
Updated:

A recent study shows that COVID-19 hospitalization numbers in the United States could be highly exaggerated, as almost half of hospitalized patients only displayed “mild” symptoms, suggesting that they were likely admitted due to reasons unrelated to COVID-19.

The study (pdf), conducted by Harvard Medical School, Tufts Medical Center, and the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, is awaiting peer review.