Estimating the COVID-Related Deaths Attributable to President Trump’s Early Pronouncements About Masks

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Robert Hahn, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-01-01
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2020
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0020731420960345
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SERVICES
• Volume: 51
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 14
• End Page: 17
• Grant/Funding Information: The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
• Keywords: masks; COVID-19; attributable mortality; presidential pronouncements
• Research Categories: Sociology, Public and Social Welfare; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

The goal of this analysis is to estimate the proportion of COVID-19 deaths attributable to President Donald Trump’s early pronouncements about voluntary mask use and his intention not to use masks. Data from available research were used to estimate parameters for the calculation of population attributable risk for COVID-19 deaths reported to date. Assuming Trump’s pronouncement to have caused 25%, 50%, and 75% of the non-use of masks, estimates of Trump-attributable COVID-19 deaths to date would be, respectively, 4,244, 8,356, or 12,202. The effects of presidential pronouncements on health-related matters may have large public health consequences. Pronouncements of national leaders should be based on the best available science.