22 Investigates: Indiana Attorney General’s analysis of COVID-19 – WSBT-TV

22 Investigates: Indiana Attorney General's analysis of COVID-19

by Julianna Furfari, WSBT 22 Evening Anchor

FILE- In this Aug. 9, 2017, file photo, Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Ind., speaks during a news conference outside of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

INDIANA (WSBT)

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is calling into question data from the COVID-19 pandemic that contributed to decisions made about lockdowns and mitigation policies.

Rokita says he instructed his staff to prepare an analysis of the state's data following comments made on WSBT 22 more than 2 years ago.

In December of 2021, Rokita said "I don't believe any numbers anymore. I am sorry about that, but they are politicized." You can watch the full interview below.

FULL%20INTERVIEW:%20Indiana%20Attorney%20General%20Todd%20Rokita%20discusses%20the%20state's%20lawsuit%20aimed%20at%20COVID-19%20vaccine%20mandates%20requiring%20healthcare%20workers%20be%20vaccinated%20on%20Dec%2017,%202021.(WSBT%2022)

The analysis points out what Rokita's office outlines as flaws, including:

"We looked at nearly 145,000 death records, for example, to come up with the conclusions I'm going to share with you," Rokita said.

The report claims that the Indiana Department of Health's official Management Performance Hub over-reported COVID 19 deaths by 10.9 % in 2020, 7 % in 2021 and 12.5 % in 2022.

Rokita says they compared death counts reported on the MPH website to the number of death certificates listing COVID as cause of death from the vital records database maintained by IDOH.

JF: Is this a problem with any other illnesses, or just COVID? For example, if someone has the flu and dies from complications?

Rokita claims there are two major problems with positivity rate data, including the health department attributing multiple positive cases to the same person. He claims the state reported a positivity rate of 30% during several months of 2020, but his office's analysis believes that rate was less than 5% during every month of 2020.

Rokita also says decisions on restrictions were based on a sample group that were not representative of the whole population.

JF: The governor at the time said if there were such inaccuracies he would consider that fraud and it should be handed over the inspector general. At the time you said: "this isn't about fraud at this point it's about inaccurate numbers and political agendas causing doubt."

JF: Now that this research has been conducted, has your opinion changed?

On Saturday, WSBT22 News emailed the Governor's office for a response. They recommended we contact the Indiana State Health Department.

We emailed them twice and left a voicemail. We have not heard back. We also emailed the Press Person for the Governor again on Monday- listing several questions: including if the Governor has read this report.

So far, we have not received a response. When we do, we'll update this story.

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22 Investigates: Indiana Attorney General's analysis of COVID-19 - WSBT-TV