Fox host downplays COVID-19 surge because “cases is very different than hospitalizations and deaths”

COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths for yesterday were all above the seven-day average

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

From the October 30, 2020, edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends

PETE HEGSETH (FOX & FRIENDS WEEKEND CO-HOST): When you have a contrast between a candidate saying I see a dark winter, I want a national mask mandate, I'm going to keep you closed; and a president who said look at the GDP, we're going to reopen, we're going to be responsible, we've accelerated a vaccine because we want to get back to being open and optimistic and people's livelihoods. I think that contrast, even if the numbers of COVID -- again, it's cases. Cases is very different than hospitalizations and deaths -- I think that contrast actually helps the president, who's being optimistic in this moment. 

According to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project, the United States reported a record number of daily cases -- over 88,500 -- on October 29. Indicators for hospitalizations and deaths were also above the most recent seven-day average.