Is postive corona test data the best measure of what's happening?

Some folks seem hell bent on the positive test results.  The problem with that is our ignornace of the past since we didn't have enough test capabilities.  I suspect within a month or so, we will be testing anyone quickly and easily who wants a test.  We are very close to that now.  Here is the daily "tests done" data from Indiana by week (excluding this week as it won't be accurate until next week).  This isn't exact, as I eye balled it from the great data that the great state of Indiana provides.

Weekly test averages by day over the past 8 weeks.

800

1600

2500

3100

3900

4100

4700

5700

Can we really generate an accurate curve on folks with the beer virus with this data?  Not a chance.  For that reason, until we have more testing capabilities are available, and we have more weeks of data, deaths are the best measure of what's happening.  Most that have died from the beer virus are counted in Indiana within a week, and virtually all are counted within two weeks.  The deaths are placed on on the date they confirmed the cause of death, but on the day the death occured..............unlike in New York.

In my opinion, the death curve is the best measure of what's happening, assuming that state is smart enough to show the death happening on the day that occured.................unlike New York.

The NYDS is strong with this one...

A strong one with what?  And what is NYDS?  I don't live around the DS.

I largely agree with Boilerman.    So does Gov Cuomo.    Actually, I would say hospitalizations are a better metric than deaths as the latter can be skewed by population age.    

Data by zip code would be nice, though not likely to happen.  Deaths, yes.  Spikes of anything but those are confounding when a a batch of tests come back for, say, a prison, or LTC facility, will make it look like the whole state has spiked.  Or Kevin's favorite, the meat packing plants.  Tee hee.  

Nice, Candy. Tee hee about thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths. Hilarious.

Death rates are not reliable indicators of infection rates. The vulnerability of an infected population matters. Plus, not all CoVid-19 deaths are recorded as such.

Calling it the beer virus is, like Candy's remark, inappropriately lighthearted and stupid. I've lost two good friends to this virus. I don't feel like fucking tee hee about it, and I doubt that anyone else who has lost someone would, either.

We need greatly expanded testing before we can open up safely. However, it looks like most states won't have the discipline to wait. People, especially Trumpers, are selfish and stupid.

Tee hee.

Indiana shows data by county, but that's certainly not as precise as by zip code.

Kevin on one hand tells us that states like Georgia are stupid for government getting out of the way, but he also told us that business owners in Georgia are doing the right thing and not opening.  Maybe getting government out of the way allows people to think, and open when safe.

I would disagree with deaths being the best way. You can get a farily accurate data from the FL web site. It not only gives information by zip code but also lists by gender, race/nationality. Best of all it list total cases and Total NEW cases tested by percentage. It lists nursing homes  deaths and infection and also the  staff numbers at those homes.

It is interesting to see that sometimes the percentage the new cases tested is almost 1/2 the total number of total cases tested. That to me proves that total cases can be very easily misunderstood .Total tests include people who being tested several times before getting a negative for the virus. One person being tested 3 times before getting a negative should not count as 3 cases.

The problem with many other states if they give out not enough information.

Positive test results are increasing in most areas, while deaths are decreasing.  Why is that?  Well, let's think about it.  If we didn't test anyone yesterday, and today we test a bunch of people, how do we compare it with yesterday?  There were no positive test results yesterday, but were there no sick people?  Of course not.

Testing volumes have not been adequate to provide anything near an accurate curve on the number of positive cases.  Death curve data, however, is accurate.