HELP US SPREAD THE FACTS – SHARE! To provide necessary context for reporting on COVID-19, TPPF has created The Snapshot in our Daily Cannon. Here are the facts you need to fully understand COVID reporting:
Health Data:
- Texas has the most estimated COVID-19 recoveries in the U.S. at 1,711,009.
- There have been 15,935,036 molecular COVID-19 tests administered in Texas as of 01/18/20.
- Texas is 24th in the U.S. for COVID-19 fatality rate.
- Texas is 29th in the U.S. in COVID-19 case rate.
- Estimated active COVID-19 cases in Texas are 376,764.
- Texas statewide COVID-19 hospitalization rate is at 21%.
- ICU and general hospital bed levels remain stable.
- Only 24.2% of hospital beds in the Dallas/Fort Worth TSA region are occupied by COVID-19 patients.
- Only 20.0% of hospital beds in the Houston TSA region are occupied by COVID-19 patients.
- Only 17.3% of hospital beds in the Austin TSA region are occupied by COVID-19 patients.
- Only 23.6% of hospital beds in the San Antonio TSA region are occupied by COVID-19 patients.
Economic Data:
- U.S. initial jobless claims filed during week ended January 2, 2020 were 787,000 – down 3,000 from the previous week.
- U.S. seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for week ended December 26, 2020 was 5,072,000 – down 126,000 from the previous week.
- Texas has the highest rate of Ch. 11 bankruptcies in the nation.
- Texas initial jobless claims filed during week ended January 2, 2020 were 43,583 – up 12,135 from the previous week.
- Texas insured unemployment claims paid for week ended December 26, 2020 were 368,223 – down 457 from the previous week.
- The U.S. economy expanded at 37.6% annual rate in Q3 of 2020.
- Texas’ economy contracted by 29% Q2 of 2020.
- Nearly 1 in 5 Texans is facing financial ruin from COVID and the economic shutdown.
- 22% of Texans say it will take them a year or more to recover financially.
- Texas unemployment rate in November 2020 was 8.1% – down from 13.5% in April 2020 but above 3.5% in February 2020.
While many seem to suggest that Texas is in bad shape, they aren’t telling the whole story. The fact is Texas is one of the safest places to be during the pandemic. We should all be cautious, but we are not in the desperate crisis and overburdening hospital beds like many in the media and officials claim.
Sources:
Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Cast Count, New York Times
Texas Covid-19 Data Resource, Texas 2036
Texas Case Counts COVID-19, Texas Health and Human Services
Texas COVID-19 Testing Data, Texas Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Labor Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report