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No bump in COVID-19 rates after Wisconsin's April 7 election, study says
Wisconsin State Journal ^ | 4/24/2020 | David Wahlberg

Posted on 04/24/2020 12:08:21 PM PDT by UB355

Rates of new confirmed COVID-19 cases didn't increase in Wisconsin compared to the rest of the country after the April 7 election, though some individual cases could be tied to voting, a new study says.

The study, released Friday by doctors in Milwaukee and Florida and a mathematician in Alabama, has been submitted for publication in a scientific journal but not published yet, meaning it hasn't undergone peer review. Such "preprint" studies have become more widespread during COVID-19, causing some controversy because the findings haven't been vetted as much as usual.

About 450,000 state residents voted in person April 7, with another 1.1 million casting absentee ballots. Prior to the election, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican legislative leaders initially agreed in-person voting should go on as scheduled. But Evers issued an executive order the day before the election pushing in-person voting back to June, which the conservative-leaning state Supreme Court struck down within hours.

The U.S. Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling allowing ballots to be mailed in after Election Day, which likely caused more people to vote in person. Many have wondered if in-person voting increased the spread of the coronavirus, a question particularly raised for Milwaukee, which had only five polling stations that drew long lines of people.

19 spring election voters, poll workers contract COVID-19 coronavirus; ties to election uncertain LOCAL GOVERNMENT 19 spring election voters, poll workers contract COVID-19 coronavirus; ties to election uncertain Riley Vetterkind | Wisconsin State Journal Click here for the latest updates from local businesses Click here for the latest updates from local businesses In these challenging times, our local businesses need your support. Find out how to get food, goods, services and more from those remaining open.

At least 19 people who voted in person or served as poll workers have tested positive for COVID-19, but their infections may have been caused by other exposures, according to the state Department of Health Services.

In the new study, researchers looked at rates of COVID-19 in Wisconsin — and in Dane, Milwaukee and Waukesha counties — for a 10-day period before the election and in the 10 days afterward in which cases would likely arise, comparing the rates to the rest of the country.

The post-election period was April 12-21, or five to 14 days after the election, the time period when health officials say COVID-19 cases typically arise.

The ratio of Wisconsin's rate of new confirmed COVID-19 cases compared to the U.S. rate before the election was .34:1, meaning the state's rate was about a third as high as the country's. That dropped after the election to .28:1, with the state's rate a little more than a quarter as high as the country's, the researchers fou


TOPICS: US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: covid19; election; voting; wisconsin

1 posted on 04/24/2020 12:08:21 PM PDT by UB355
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To: UB355

We still lost the judge’s election.


2 posted on 04/24/2020 12:11:56 PM PDT by Fido969 (In!)
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To: UB355

Interesting ramifications for Georgia.


3 posted on 04/24/2020 12:33:55 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog (Patrick Henry would have been an anti-vaxxer)
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To: UB355

Of course there was no bump in coronavirus cases.
Think about it for a minute.
Grocery stores are open. Everyone has to eat. Nearly everyone in the community goes to the grocery store at least once a week.
Liquor stores are also open. Exactly how the heck does people going out to vote just once then lead to a sudden rise in coronavirus cases when they already go to the groceries with far more frequency with no problems at all?


4 posted on 04/24/2020 12:34:19 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: Fido969

That is not the point.


5 posted on 04/24/2020 12:35:17 PM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: Fido969
We still lost the judge’s election.

Yes, and had we kept that seat I am certain we would have seen multiple lawsuits, the media hyperventilating at the injustice of making people risk their lives to vote, and a very different study outcome proving that voting killed people. But the politically appointed candidate won so there is absolutely no post election fuss -- just as I predicted.

6 posted on 04/24/2020 12:54:32 PM PDT by Obadiah (Kill the deep state or lose the Republic.)
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To: Fido969

Sure, but now their options to steal the presidential election in November have shriveled to almost nothing!


7 posted on 04/24/2020 1:04:24 PM PDT by reasonisfaith (What are the implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
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To: SmokingJoe

Exactly. People have been out for a month buying food exposed to it. Hiding inside for a week and going out for food means you will possibly get it, it has spread everywhere at this point.


8 posted on 04/24/2020 1:20:53 PM PDT by matt04
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To: UB355
"The ratio of Wisconsin's rate of new confirmed COVID-19 cases compared to the U.S. rate before the election was .34:1 That dropped after the election to .28:1"

The data actually shows that the election protected people from the virus. Funny that wasn't mentioned in the article.

9 posted on 04/25/2020 4:30:44 AM PDT by norwaypinesavage (Calm down and enjoy the ride, great things are happening for our country)
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