FACT CHECK: No Proof that UF Researchers Were Pressured by Florida to Destroy COVID Data

December 8, 2021 Updated 11:02 A.M. ET

CLAIM: University of Florida researchers were pressured by the state of Florida to ‘destroy’ COVID-19 data to accommodate the political leanings of Governor Ron DeSantis.

CLAIMANT: Tampa Bay Times, reporter Divya Kumar.

FACT CHECK: False: The task force that was assigned to investigate faculty’s claims did not “fully investigate” these claims.

GAINESVILLE (FCV) – Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Times published a misleading report titled “UF researchers felt pressure to destroy COVID-19 data, faculty report says.”

The report from a task force assigned to investigate these allegations did not make these claims. In fact, those claims were never proven or even fully investigated.

“This task force simply did not have the resources or the time to fully investigate these reports or their legal and policy implications,” the report read.

Left-wing claims that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ (R) administration has instructed state employees to ‘destroy’ COVID-19 data are entirely unproven.

According to the New York Times, Florida is ranked the second lowest in new COVID-19 cases per capita per day.