August 30, 2020

A new CDC report finds that 94% of COVID-19 deaths in the United States had contributing underlying medical conditions, a figure that the agency itself notes does not appear in most headline death counts. The statistic complicates the framing of COVID-19 as an indiscriminate killer and receives far less emphasis in major news outlets than raw case and death tallies. The finding is consistent with earlier data showing mortality concentrated heavily among the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions, a pattern that policy decisions around universal lockdowns rarely acknowledge.

The vaccine race continues with outlets discussing the prospect that a single shot may not be enough, requiring a two-dose regimen that complicates distribution. Scientific American covers do-it-yourself vaccine efforts as a fringe phenomenon, and a Moderna trial participant urges trust in the process even as questions about liability and federal funding transparency linger from the previous week.