KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — COVID-19 statistics can vary depending on how the numbers are gathered.
Early in the pandemic, many of us on the front lines of care turned to Johns Hopkins as the source of truth for COVID-19 statistics, and it didn't take long for the major networks to join in.
But why is Hopkins the go-to site for so many people?
There is one reason: consistent data.
Numbers are funny things. People who have a vested interest can twist numbers to make them say almost anything. In an election year, we see it over and over in a wide variety of areas including COVID-19.
Ideally, we would have each state processing data in a consistent fashion, but it is not too far off to say 50 states have a wide variety of ways to compile data. Johns Hopkins is consistent and reliable and has remained so throughout the pandemic.