Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio, has faced criticism from Republican rival Vivek Ramaswamy regarding her claim that COVID-19 mortality rates reached as high as 50% during the early days of the pandemic. Acton made this statement during a podcast in September, asserting that her leadership as director of the Ohio Department of Health contributed to a decrease in the mortality rate to 5% by June 2020. However, data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that the actual mortality rate was significantly lower, with 275,000 deaths reported nationwide in 2020 and a death rate of 15.9% when adjusted for age.
Acton's office later clarified that she was referring to hospital death rates. Ramaswamy's campaign responded by labeling Acton's claims as false, accusing her of attempting to justify her decisions during the pandemic. Acton has previously received criticism from Republicans for her COVID-19 response, but she argues that her actions were effective and necessary. In the early stages of the pandemic, Ohio implemented strict emergency measures, including school closures and stay-at-home orders.
Ramaswamy's spokesperson criticized Acton, calling her an incompetent bureaucrat. Acton, who has secured the Democratic nomination, is set to face Ramaswamy in the general election on November 3.