2 ms·
Reported vs actual are very different numbers. In Toronto Canada: - Number of tests available are limited still (and were severely so until recently) - People
by NikolaNovak 6y ago
Reported vs actual are very different numbers.
In Toronto Canada:
- Number of tests available are limited still (and were severely so until recently)
- People who are showing symptoms but aren't high risk have been turned away after pre-screening
- People who are showing symptoms but aren't front line workers have been turned away after pre-screening
- People who have had severe exposure but aren't showing symptoms have been turned away after pre-screening
(Heck, understanding it's an anecdote, but my neighbour showed all the symptoms, after waiting hours and talking to all the pre-screeners, they told him, literally "Yup, you have it; we don't need to bother testing". )
Anecdata notwithstanding, it is crucial for people to understand that the number of tested positive cases is by definition, always, under all circumstances, always going to be some subset of people actually sick. And sometimes significantly so... sometimes by order(s) of magnitude.
- WalterBright 6y agoI am always rolling my eyes at breathless news reports along the lines of "the actual number of deaths may be higher than the official count!" Of course they are going to be higher. Even the official counts can be fuzzy. For example, people dying of cancer are often carried off by pneumonia due to their weakened state. Was the cause of death the cancer or the pneumonia?
- iso947 6y agoRoot cause analysis is a tricky thing Died of a heart attack Caused by blood loss From being impaled on a fence After a car crash While not wearing a seatbelt And driving too fast On an icy road