I've answered this question about the deaths per capita chart about 20 times.
But Rob's a good guy, it's been a while, and this is a good distraction from endless election charts, so let's explain this one more time.
But Rob's a good guy, it's been a while, and this is a good distraction from endless election charts, so let's explain this one more time.
https://twitter.com/RobPaynterSD61/status/1312117442039013376
Here is chart showing that B.C. has the lowest #COVID19 deaths per capita of places with at least five million people in Canada/United States/western Europe.
It's a chart that gets shared a lot whenever I update it, and the government has used it as a talking point.
It's a chart that gets shared a lot whenever I update it, and the government has used it as a talking point.
The reason those places were chosen, way back in April, was that Canada, the United States and western Europe had their first wave happen at the same time.
They are large interconnected jurisdictions with similar political systems, and were all dealing with similar issues.
They are large interconnected jurisdictions with similar political systems, and were all dealing with similar issues.
Back in March and April, folks on this wonderful website would sometimes argue that B.C.'s #COVID19 response was bad, and that my claims the province was doing "comparatively well" were a lie.
I thought it helpful to compare to similar jurisdictions to show they were wrong.
I thought it helpful to compare to similar jurisdictions to show they were wrong.
But back to Rob's point!
Yes, there are some countries that have had lower per capita deaths rates.
I even did a chart a few months ago to show that.
Like a lot of data journalism, if you choose different metrics, your subject can look "worse."
Yes, there are some countries that have had lower per capita deaths rates.
I even did a chart a few months ago to show that.
Like a lot of data journalism, if you choose different metrics, your subject can look "worse."
https://twitter.com/j_mcelroy/status/1261742298129297409?s=20
The question is "what is a more salient comparison to British Columbia in terms of a policy response?"
Similar interconnected jurisdictions that were hit with a big wave at the same time as B.C.?
Or mostly island and geographically isolated countries, halfway across the world?
Similar interconnected jurisdictions that were hit with a big wave at the same time as B.C.?
Or mostly island and geographically isolated countries, halfway across the world?
People like to bring up New Zealand, or Taiwan, or Japan, or South Korea or Iceland as democracies that have done better.
The one thing they have in common is that they're islands (or a virtual island in Korea's case).
One might imagine it provides a number of advantages.
The one thing they have in common is that they're islands (or a virtual island in Korea's case).
One might imagine it provides a number of advantages.
Also, if we expanded the chart to countries, provinces and states in ALL of North America, South America and western Europe with at least five million people while excluding islands, here's who has lower deaths per capita than British Columbia:
Nicaragua
Venezuela
Uruguay
Nicaragua
Venezuela
Uruguay
Anyhow, there's your quarterly explanation for why the deaths per capita chart is the way it is.
If you don't like it, hopefully you find value in the 2,415 other charts I've been doing — you can see a bunch of them here!
cbc.ca/news/canada/br…
If you don't like it, hopefully you find value in the 2,415 other charts I've been doing — you can see a bunch of them here!
cbc.ca/news/canada/br…
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