Reveal

The COVID Tracking Project Part 2

Aug 10, 2024

Amy Gleason, a health care technologist and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, shares her harrowing experiences managing COVID-19 data. She reveals shocking gaps in federal data reporting that hindered effective responses. Gleason recounts the chaotic early days of pandemic response, where her team battled bureaucratic red tape and a severe lack of essential medical supplies. The conversation highlights the pivotal role of The COVID Tracking Project, which provided invaluable real-time data, illuminating the emotional weight and urgency behind their work during a national crisis.

50:06

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Amy Gleason

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Quick takeaways

Amy Gleason uncovered the crucial absence of reliable COVID-19 data during her role on the White House Task Force, complicating crisis management.

The chaotic environment of data collection among federal agencies highlighted the urgent need for a centralized system to ensure better public health responses.

Deep dives

The Unexpected Transition to Crisis Management

In February 2020, the atmosphere during Mardi Gras in New Orleans was celebratory, with crowds unaware of the impending pandemic. Just weeks later, the situation dramatically shifted as COVID-19 cases began surging across the United States. Amy Gleason, a technologist at the White House, found herself unexpectedly thrust into a critical role on March 11, working under Dr. Deborah Birx at the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The urgency of the situation became apparent when Amy realized the lack of reliable COVID data available, which would prove essential for managing the crisis effectively.

Intro

2min

Reflections on Mardi Gras and the Coming Pandemic

2min

Navigating the Early COVID-19 Response

11min

COVID-19 Testing Strategy Missteps

8min

Struggles of the Healthcare System During the Pandemic

2min

Navigating the COVID-19 Crisis: Early Challenges

12min

The Weight of Responsibility: Data Dependency During a Crisis

2min

Data Struggles During a Pandemic

13min

Challenges in Public Health Infrastructure and Data Management

2min

In March 2020, health care technologist Amy Gleason had a daunting task ahead of her. She was a new member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force’s data team, and it was her job to figure out where people were testing positive for COVID-19 across the country, how many were in hospitals, and how many had died from the disease.

Gleason was shocked to find that data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wasn’t reflecting the immediate impact of the coronavirus. At the same time, the country was suffering from another huge shortfall: a lack of COVID-19 tests. The task force also faced national shortages of medical supplies like masks and ventilators and lacked basic information about COVID-19 hospitalizations that would help them know where to send supplies.

Realizing that the federal government was failing to collect national data, reporters at The Atlantic formed The COVID Tracking Project. Across all 50 states, hundreds of volunteers began gathering crucial information on the number of cases, deaths, and hospitalizations. Each day, they compiled the state COVID-19 data in a massive spreadsheet, creating the nation’s most reliable picture of the spread of the deadly disease.

This week on Reveal: The second episode of our three-part series asks why there was no good federal data about COVID-19. This Peabody Award-nominated series is hosted by epidemiologist Jessica Malaty Rivera and reported by Artis Curiskis and Kara Oehler from The COVID Tracking Project at The Atlantic.

This is an update of an episode that originally aired in April 2023.

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