Thread by @JasonSalemi

PLEASE do not use the @CDCgov data on deaths to compare #COVID19 #mortality per capita in #Florida to other states.

Below, I created a viz from the CDC COVID Tracker to compare 5 states. Florida is the green line and the red arrow shows a recent decrease.

1/5

Despite that suggested DECREASE in FL...

I just tweeted this out highlighting the recent INCREASE (almost a doubling) is reported COVID-19 deaths this week.

https://twitter.com/JasonSalemi/status/1487192817080287237

What gives?

2/5

The way in which states report mortality data to @CDCgov is not the same. Almost all report based on date reported.

FL reports by date of death

That is NOT a criticism - I like the way FL reports it so I can calc both types of curves - but it is a caution for comparison.

3/5

Here's what I mean.

This is per capita mortality since early December 2021. I've highlighted New Jersey and Florida.

I plotted FL twice. The red is what you'd see on CDC (based on date of death). The blue is based on date reported, now a similar method to other states.

4/5

I know I've been over this countless times, but I'm still getting people suggesting a recent DECREASE. That's not the case.

If acting in good faith, I don't blame them. Not easy to keep track of the variations in reporting for various metrics.

So, I'll keep clarifying.

5/end