Riggs needed more digging on the Missouri counties with COVID-19 cases

While Missouri’s stay-at-home order has expired, cases have been closely monitored to see whether the state is flattening the curve. Some cities, like Columbia and St. Louis, have extended their stay-at-home regulations.

In a reflection of how the state has been responding to the pandemic, state House Rep. Louis Riggs, R-Hannibal, said on April 21: "Thankfully, we have seen success to date, as nearly half of our counties have not reported positive cases."

Riggs’ estimate was more than a little off.

Data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on that day show 20 counties without any positive cases, or 18% of 114 counties. The state passed the halfway mark three weeks earlier, on March 30. 

Riggs admitted that his error resulted from a quick glance over the department’s map showing the breakdown of cases by county. If a county has between one and six cases it has a light tan color, easy to confuse with the white color of the counties without any cases. 

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stated on November 26, 2024 in an Instagram post

“The CDC says that little 6 month old babies must get SEVEN doses of the Covid vaccine in order to be considered fully ‘up to date’ on their vaccinations.”

Riggs said what he should have said was, "nearly 20% with zero cases and half with less than 10," which would be accurate.  

As of May 11, 15 counties have not reported any cases of COVID-19. 

Riggs said on April 21, "nearly half of our counties have not reported positive cases." Half would be a sharp rounding up from 18%. 

Because Riggs’ estimate included counties that did not fall into the correct category we rate his claim False.