Editing 2294: Coronavirus Charts
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | This comic is the 19th comic in a row (not counting the [[2288: Collector's Edition|April Fools' | + | {{incomplete|Created by a poorly constructed graph. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
+ | This comic is the 19th comic in a row (not counting the [[2288: Collector's Edition|April Fools' comic]]) in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}. | ||
During the current outbreak of COVID-19, there have been many graphs used by health officials and others to show trends in infection and death rates. Their x-axis is usually time. The curves might represent different countries or different mitigation strategies. But | During the current outbreak of COVID-19, there have been many graphs used by health officials and others to show trends in infection and death rates. Their x-axis is usually time. The curves might represent different countries or different mitigation strategies. But | ||
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In addition, the selection of geographic areas used here is incomprehensible. Two of the lines represent countries (USA and Italy), and another represents part of one of those countries (New York City area). The New York City area may have been chosen because it has a very large number of cases, more than some countries. However, a fourth line combines Norway and Sweden -- two countries which are culturally, economically, and geographically similar [https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-why-the-nordics-are-our-best-bet-for-comparing-strategies-135344 but have imposed very different strategies] regarding closing businesses and schools. Combining Norway and Sweden obscures any differences attributable to their different policies regarding the virus. A fifth line represents not a geographical area but the ''ratio'' between France and Spain, making an already meaningless graph even less comprehensible. | In addition, the selection of geographic areas used here is incomprehensible. Two of the lines represent countries (USA and Italy), and another represents part of one of those countries (New York City area). The New York City area may have been chosen because it has a very large number of cases, more than some countries. However, a fourth line combines Norway and Sweden -- two countries which are culturally, economically, and geographically similar [https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-why-the-nordics-are-our-best-bet-for-comparing-strategies-135344 but have imposed very different strategies] regarding closing businesses and schools. Combining Norway and Sweden obscures any differences attributable to their different policies regarding the virus. A fifth line represents not a geographical area but the ''ratio'' between France and Spain, making an already meaningless graph even less comprehensible. | ||
− | The title text adds a further ambiguity: Usually, there are only two items being compared in a "vice versa" | + | The title text adds a further ambiguity: Usually, there are only two items being compared in a "vice versa"; here there are ''three'', leading to either ambiguity, or six lines being embodied in that "vice versa". |
'''Other metrics used''' | '''Other metrics used''' | ||
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*Negative test results: Negative [https://covidtracking.com/ test results] would refer to people who were tested for COVID-19, but who do not have the disease (or were not able to confirm having the disease). If there are any places reluctant to test, in order to artificially suppress the unpopular number of positives, this measure would similarly be unreasonably low. It might therefore be an important key measure, used as just one component of a meta-measurement, to regrade or even highlight such practices. At least until the figures are freshly massaged by instead overtesting people with a low probability of being infected. | *Negative test results: Negative [https://covidtracking.com/ test results] would refer to people who were tested for COVID-19, but who do not have the disease (or were not able to confirm having the disease). If there are any places reluctant to test, in order to artificially suppress the unpopular number of positives, this measure would similarly be unreasonably low. It might therefore be an important key measure, used as just one component of a meta-measurement, to regrade or even highlight such practices. At least until the figures are freshly massaged by instead overtesting people with a low probability of being infected. | ||
* per Google search for "COVID": Meanwhile, [https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%203-m&q=covid Google search results for "COVID"] are search hits for that word. There is no relation between these two, and furthermore, it does not make sense for this to be graphed on a {{w|logarithmic scale}}. | * per Google search for "COVID": Meanwhile, [https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%203-m&q=covid Google search results for "COVID"] are search hits for that word. There is no relation between these two, and furthermore, it does not make sense for this to be graphed on a {{w|logarithmic scale}}. | ||
− | * As mentioned above, the x-axis for most charts is time, as it is valuable to know how the virus or deaths are spreading over time. | + | * As mentioned above, the x-axis for most charts is time, as it is valuable to know how the virus or deaths are spreading over time. It's not clear what data points would allow you to chart one country over several values of x. Cumulative results at different times? |
Y-axis: | Y-axis: | ||
*[https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/worldwide-graphs/#daily-deaths Coronavirus deaths today]: Deaths from the coronavirus "today" are constantly reported by the media, and could be a helpful metric in seeing whether the virus is spreading or not, if deaths "today" are compared to deaths yesterday and previous days. | *[https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/worldwide-graphs/#daily-deaths Coronavirus deaths today]: Deaths from the coronavirus "today" are constantly reported by the media, and could be a helpful metric in seeing whether the virus is spreading or not, if deaths "today" are compared to deaths yesterday and previous days. | ||
*[https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/worldwide-graphs/#total-cases Total cases] one week ago: This is a much larger number than deaths and will completely dominate the sum. Cases one week ago might have some predictive value for deaths today or in the near future, but adding them together double-counts many cases. | *[https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/worldwide-graphs/#total-cases Total cases] one week ago: This is a much larger number than deaths and will completely dominate the sum. Cases one week ago might have some predictive value for deaths today or in the near future, but adding them together double-counts many cases. | ||
− | *{{w|Per capita}}: This is a measure of the amount per person, and is useful for averaging out numbers based on population size. For example, the United States have the most | + | *{{w|Per capita}}: This is a measure of the amount per person, and is useful for averaging out numbers based on population size. For example, the United States have the most COVID-19 cases and deaths, but also an higher population than the most other industrialized nations, so using per capita numbers tells a different story. |
− | Title text: While adding data for South Korea might be helpful (as it shows an Asian country, compared to just Europe and the US), it is | + | Title text: While adding data for South Korea might be helpful (as it shows an Asian country, compared to just Europe and the US), it is illogical to scale this data to match a population of a different country (Japan), or a {{w|land area}} of a country (Australia). |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
+ | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | ||
+ | |||
[A graph is drawn.] | [A graph is drawn.] | ||
:[A curve labeled "United States" starts about halfway up the vertical axis, rises almost to the top, and then levels off about a third of the way along the horizontal axis.] | :[A curve labeled "United States" starts about halfway up the vertical axis, rises almost to the top, and then levels off about a third of the way along the horizontal axis.] | ||
− | |||
:Y-axis label: Coronavirus deaths today plus total cases one week ago per capita | :Y-axis label: Coronavirus deaths today plus total cases one week ago per capita | ||
:X-axis label: Negative test results per Google search for "COVID" (log scale) | :X-axis label: Negative test results per Google search for "COVID" (log scale) |