What's wrong with this headline from the The Detroit Free Press?
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Michigan surge 800% in March among people 40-49 years old
Well, it lacks a rather key bit of information: What's the actual number of patients that has increased in this age range by versus the percentage? After all going from 1 to 8 is an 800% increase but no need to get excited or panic.
The article doesn't say, and in fact instead reports that data, which could provide some definite context to the panic-inducing headline is not being released:
The association did not provide raw data in its release Wednesday. Spokesman John Karasinski told the Free Press that it is prohibited from sharing the raw data because of "data use agreements with our members."
So it could be eight patients or eight hundred but probably far less than that, as per the article, the entire Beaumont health system only has 350 Covid in-patients total, and that's one of the biggest systems in the state. We don't know, and neither does the author of this piece of journalism.
Whether done to advocate those in the 40-49 year age group to get vaccinated (which is funny as per the rules, most places are only vaccinating 50 and up right now with some profession exceptions) or just to keep the panic on, its a tad bit of irresponsible subterfuge with statistics and unsubstantiated panic-mongering.
4 comments:
Hey Aaron;
Gotta scare the sheep so they will baaa for more government to save them with more restrictions. geez....
Figures lie, and liars figure.
Upon seeing that I'd hunt for supporting data.
so what if its from 1 to 8 and really 500 to 4000?
So checking, well what do you know? You committed
the exact same infraction you pick on the news for.
And where did I get that, from the news story you
linked and it had links to the states data.
Reading is hard.
Eck!
MrGarabaldi: Yep.
Glypto Dropem: The book "How to lie with Statistics" should be mandatory reading for all.
Eck!: Not hardly and yes for you reading is indeed hard. Nowhere in the article does it provide the raw numbers and the article even states "did not provide raw data" - they were not given the raw data comprising the percent increase. Going to the State of Michigan site again you don't get the percent increase in cases that lead to the articles proclamation of an 800% increase. Do try to read it again though, slowly, that may help you.
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