Which Covid-19 Numbers Really Matter
This is what to pay attention to, according to an epidemiologist
For a layperson, national, state, and local Covid-19 data pages seem pretty straightforward (high numbers are bad! low numbers are good!) — until you really start thinking about what this data means for your health and your behaviors. Which numbers are actually important? How do you interpret an increase or decrease in Covid-19 cases or test positivity rates? And how should the data inform what actions you should — or shouldn’t — be taking? To get some clear guidance on how to parse it all, Elemental spoke to Eleanor Murray, ScD, assistant professor of epidemiology and co-director of the Epidemiology Covid-19 Response Corps at the Boston University School of Public Health.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Elemental: Where is the best place to find Covid-19 data for your area? And how local should you be going?
Eleanor Murray: For most places, your state health department is a good first stop, but many states are so large that this won’t be specific enough. Local data from your city (or from your metropolitan area in larger cities like New York) will be more useful in those states. Your local health department may have a website that provides these numbers, or your state…
