squatting dog
We don't have as far to go, as we've already been
- Location
- Arkansas, and also Florida
I'm constantly astounded by how much misinformation floats around out there in cyber land. (been guilty and taken in by some myself).
However, I have to say that what bit I watch of media certainly seems to show a definite slant. I'm now leery of reports of either major spikes, be it high or low, now that I understand "Data dumps".
Data backlogs and the "data dumps" that occur when those backlogs are resolved, can mimic major declines and then jumps, especially in cases, tests, and deaths. These irregularities can produce erratic drops and rises in the numbers. We recently saw a national newsroom report that a state had seen a 90% increase in COVID-19 cases, when in fact the state had merely experienced a data dump of historical case counts, which was later noted publicly. I also watched as several data users and newsrooms made incorrect national conclusions about deaths after one state processed an enormous amount of death certificates from the winter. I advise data-watchers to always look for official explanations on state dashboards before assuming that a jump or drop in a single state’s numbers reflects the reality of the pandemic.
However, I have to say that what bit I watch of media certainly seems to show a definite slant. I'm now leery of reports of either major spikes, be it high or low, now that I understand "Data dumps".
Data backlogs and the "data dumps" that occur when those backlogs are resolved, can mimic major declines and then jumps, especially in cases, tests, and deaths. These irregularities can produce erratic drops and rises in the numbers. We recently saw a national newsroom report that a state had seen a 90% increase in COVID-19 cases, when in fact the state had merely experienced a data dump of historical case counts, which was later noted publicly. I also watched as several data users and newsrooms made incorrect national conclusions about deaths after one state processed an enormous amount of death certificates from the winter. I advise data-watchers to always look for official explanations on state dashboards before assuming that a jump or drop in a single state’s numbers reflects the reality of the pandemic.