Florida’s COVID-19 website guru blasts bosses, hints at data suppression

The state official managing Florida’s public “dashboard” of COVID-19 data says that her office has been removed from the project — and questioned the Department of Health’s commitment to “accessibility and transparency.”

Rebekah Jones, the geographic information system manager for DOH’s Division of Disease Control and Health Protection, wrote in an email, distributed Friday that authority over the dashboard was taken away from her office on May 5. The sharply worded email, which was shared with the Herald by a recipient of the message, was addressed to users of the state’s data portal, which includes researchers and journalists. It was not clear who replaced her and her staff.

“As a word of caution, I would not expect the new team to continue the same level of accessibility and transparency that I made central to the process during the first two months,” wrote Jones, who holds a Ph.D. in geography from Florida State University. “After all, my commitment to both is largely [arguably entirely] the reason I am no longer managing it.”

During the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Ron DeSantis has praised his administration’s data transparency. But the state has consistently resisted revealing important data points and public records to the news media and taxpayers, relenting only in the face of lawsuits. Information that was initially withheld includes the number of deaths and infections at nursing homes, medical examiner accounts of COVID-19 fatalities, the extent of Florida’s testing backlog, infections and deaths at state prisons and precisely how early cases began appearing in the state.

The email controversy emerged just as DeSantis has given the order to reopen much of the state, citing data he says shows the state is beginning to show progress in managing the virus.

The existence of the email was first reported by Florida Today. After publication, the governor’s spokeswoman, Helen Aguirre Ferré, provided a statement to the Herald.

“The Florida COVID-19 Dashboard was created by the Geographic Information System (GIS) team in the Division of Disease Control and Health Protection at the Florida Department of Health. Although Rebekah Jones is no longer involved, the GIS team continues to manage and update the Dashboard providing accurate and important information that is publicly accessible.”

DOH’s COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard provides information on cases, hospitalizations, deaths and testing in the state, as well as other important metrics. It is widely cited by the news media and politicians. Epidemiologists and researchers use the data published on the site’s back end to understand the severity of the state’s coronavirus outbreak and model its potential future course.

In the email, Jones expressed concern about what would happen to the dashboard and its crucial data.

“I have no knowledge about their plans, what data they are now restricting, what data will be added and when, or any of that,” she wrote. “I understand, appreciate, and even share your concern about all the dramatic changes that have occurred and those that are yet to come. However, I cannot provide any insight now or going forward.”

Jones could not be reached for comment. Her CV says she joined DOH in late 2018 as a geospatial analyst and became a GIS manager in August 2019.

“They are making a lot of changes,” she added. “I would advise being diligent in your respective uses of this data.”