481 covid deaths in January, you can see the explanation on column 7 "All deaths involving influenza with or without Covid-19 or Pneumonia (J09-J11) includes Covid-19 or Pneumonia" Which doesn't explain why there is not data since they took data knowing patients had covid but didn't use the covid as COD because it wasn't the main cause of death but the fact remains that they tested for covid-19 during that time. What is your thought on why the CDC didn't collect data on January, you think it had to do with funding?
Not OP, but the answer to your question is that the CDC is intentionally skewing their analysis. January in all non-2020 years has a much higher weekly death count due to flu season. And 2020 is a strange year because we didn't hit a huge flu death peak in January.
By leaving January out, they can make the death counts for other years look lower while focusing on the worst part of 2020 which peaks in April.
I've spent enough time looking at infuriatingly obtuse CDC data presentations to know that they're making things hard to understand on purpose.
The data at your second link (from OP) does not include most of January
If you read the threads I linked to you will see this explained.
481 covid deaths in January, you can see the explanation on column 7 "All deaths involving influenza with or without Covid-19 or Pneumonia (J09-J11) includes Covid-19 or Pneumonia" Which doesn't explain why there is not data since they took data knowing patients had covid but didn't use the covid as COD because it wasn't the main cause of death but the fact remains that they tested for covid-19 during that time. What is your thought on why the CDC didn't collect data on January, you think it had to do with funding?
Not OP, but the answer to your question is that the CDC is intentionally skewing their analysis. January in all non-2020 years has a much higher weekly death count due to flu season. And 2020 is a strange year because we didn't hit a huge flu death peak in January.
By leaving January out, they can make the death counts for other years look lower while focusing on the worst part of 2020 which peaks in April.
I've spent enough time looking at infuriatingly obtuse CDC data presentations to know that they're making things hard to understand on purpose.