How can we be sure that the COVID-19 data that nations produce is accurate and precise?

Started June 22, 2023

Abstract or project description

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a global response that involved hundreds of government bodies and international organizations. As part of this response, large amounts of data on infection rates, hospitalizations, and fatalities was reported. However, verifying the accuracy, reliability, and consistency of this reported data is difficult. Here, we will identify factors contributing to the possibility of inaccuracies COVID-19 case reporting, including variations in testing capabilities, healthcare infrastructure, governmental policies, and data collection methodologies. Next, we will analyze reported COVID-19 case data from South Korea, the United States, the European Union, and China. We will compare time-course data on the number of positive cases, the per-case hospitalization rate, and the per-case fatality rate for each nation to identify discrepancies. Finally, we will investigate pre-pandemic mortality rates in each nation to estimate the excess mortality inflicted by the pandemic and compare this to the reported number of COVID-19 deaths in each country. Trust in reported data during a pandemic is essential for guiding global public health strategies and decision-making. The work we propose here will help to increase confidence in this data and will provide tools and strategies for international organizations to build trust in collaborating nations during a global pandemic.