so any or all of you might find the "wikipedia covid 19 testing" site interesting. it includes a table that is apparently updated daily showing covid testing by country. as of today it appears to me to show the philippines has tested approximately one percent of the population whereas the US has tested well over ten percent. the table shows positive cases per million and testing per million. i am still struggling about what conclusions to try to draw from this. i am still inclined to take absolute deaths as the most important statistic and not as excited about positive cases found since that is a function of testing done. (right?)
I will agree to a point, nobody outside of China really knew what they were dealing with. Look at the initial estimates, far worse than what is now the reality. Easy to say what we think should have been done now that we know more. All in all, I think many countries did not do to bad from what was first estimated and what they had to figure out about this pest, there should be millions dead by now according to back then.
Has 10% of the US population been tested or were many of those tests given repeatedly to a much smaller group of individuals? I've heard that many of the politicians, wealthy, famous, athletes are tested on a daily/weekly basis, whereas regular people are only tested once they have symptoms.
As you say, deaths are key and according to JHU latest figures show the USA leading the world with 16% per 100,000 people. Mexico next with 11% and the rest of world starts at only 5% reducing. It is pretty obvious that testing has nothing to do with deaths other than if properly done, will disclose the true infection rate. Whether you have been tested or not, if the infection is serious enough you will be in hospital and thus the death figure is the true indicator. Disclosure is of course another key ingredient and perhaps some countries are understating, no names, no pack drill, but I think, the figures show that the haphazard approach of the USA in dealing with this and the lack of leadership and proper understanding of what this is all about; and perhaps the USA would lead the world in understanding if only their health experts were listened to; the Corona pandemic can only be handled by proper testing, proper isolation, ie, masks and social distancing together, not just one ot the other, and mandatory obedience with penalty for refusing or neglecting to follow directives, not just an expectation of people to "do the right thing" and this will be finally beaten. Control is a must, doing your own thing on your own whim or fancy is dangerous to you and everyone else.
Philpots, check your data...I am seeing the United Kingdom leading with the US 11th with 3.6% morality rate.
The UK claims to be about to revise it's Covid-19 death counting procedure for England. Apparently they have been counting anyone dying after having the virus as a virus related death - could have been in a later vehicle accident, for example. Currently it would mean anyone having had the virus, recovered and died of something 10 years later is counted, in theory. Believe they will go for a cut-off time as in other UK countries (Wales, Scotland, N Ireland).
My sincere apologies for my error. I have just spent the last half an hour trying to make the math work with the numbers I saw this morning on CNN and was not able to come anywhere near that percentage I showed from the JHU chart. Me and my eyesight I am afriad. Sorry everyone who read my post this morning.. Sincerely.
