Editorial: San Diego County should disclose outbreak specifics

On balance, transparency outweighs reasons to keep data from being disclosed

By The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board

Aug. 20, 2020 4:55 PM PT

After a difficult July on the California pandemic front, the trendline of two-week rolling infection rates has thankfully dropped, both statewide and locally. This week, 19 area schools got San Diego County’s approval to reopen after receiving waivers under the rules of the state’s school closing guidelines. In general, the county’s diligence in working to slow the spread of coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes, has been a welcome contrast to its lethargic response in 2017 to a hepatitis A outbreak.

Read the response from San Diego County health officials:

But on one important issue, The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board thinks the county is making a mistake. Its decision to refuse to disclose specifically where outbreaks have occurred — instead offering generic descriptions of, say, a local business or a local restaurant — denies residents basic health-risk information that can shape their decision-making. Los Angeles County’s practice of specific disclosure allows residents to see patterns. On Thursday, for example, three of the county’s four outbreaks were in a single small city (Commerce).

County officials say that nondisclosure is a best-practices public health tactic that encourages businesses to provide information about outbreaks, which are defined as when there are three or more cases from different households who went to the same location at about the same time. One county leader, discussing the issue on background, expressed surprise that the Editorial Board might join those who are questioning the judgment of public health experts during a national health crisis. The leader said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s public health officer, and other health officials didn’t deserve second-guessing on top of the months of abuse they have endured over shutdown orders.

But to date we see no evidence Los Angeles County’s approach has backfired. And we make no judgments about Wooten or anyone in concluding that on balance, transparency should win out. The location and scope of each outbreak should be disclosed.