STL pandemic task force uses hospitalizations data as it is not as subject to variables.
https://www.ksdk.com/mobile/article/news/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-numbers/missouris-covid-19-positivity-rate/63-5de4bbf5-442f-44b1-9444-ab8924ecfaae
https://www.wbko.com/2020/08/26/why-the-local-health-department-doesnt-report-positivity-rate-per-county/
The Barren River District Health Department says they do not release the positivity rates because they don’t have all the data to calculate it accurately.
“A lot of those negative labs, they don’t come into us, so we can’t accurately calculate that positivity rate, so we don’t like to use the positivity rate on a local level,” said Blackwell.
Barnes says he is concerned about the possible margin for error surrounding the data.
“I think we’re doing a disservice for our community, especially if we don’t let our community know that there is definitely a margin of error in this number and try to give the community at least what margin of error there is,” he said. “Is the margin of error 10 percent, is the margin of error 15 percent, we don’t know that answer, I don’t know that answer.”
Arizona leaving out results because "they don't do data entry".
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-health/2020/08/17/arizona-leaves-out-written-faxed-test-results-when-calculating-covid-19-percent-positivity/5587283002/
Colorado calculating number with incomplete data sets.
https://coloradosun.com/2020/11/02/colorados-coronavirus-test-positivity-rate/