August 17, 2020
Nevertheless, the film leans on stereotyping, even if that stereotyping mocks unrefined parts of American culture. So, here is the suck-the-fun-out-of-it question: Can I enjoy the movie AND recognize the logical fallacy of lumping individuals into a group (NASCAR fans and the French in this case)? While I think my kids can handle this nuance, these ideas speak to the challenges of humor and the fine lines that exist. Moreover, I think it demonstrates how effortless, almost banal, bias can be.
------------
Latest Data
Global-View:
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
Nationally:
a slow decline in new cases per million in the US (still around 50,000 a day)
stable deaths @ 3.2 per million (or about 1000 deaths per day) in the US for the last 7-8 days
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=usa&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usfl&areasRegional=ustx&areasRegional=usco&cumulative=0&logScale=0&perMillion=1&values=cases
Also, look at https://covidtracking.com/data
The US Regionally:
There are both falling rates of new cases and death per million in more states than not, per FT data.
The NYT has the best state-level data visualization:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
About the data:
https://covidtracking.com/about-data/visualization-guide is the best resource to understand data visualization and data integrity.
-----------
There continue to be numerous variables impacting data and data reliability. For instance, lower testing rates in Texas have INCREASED positivity rates and created confusion.
https://covidtracking.com/blog/something-is-wrong-with-testing-data-in-the-great-state-of-texas
But data collection is not simple. The COVID tracking project offered this comprehensive blog post on variation in state testing and reporting. I am shocked that there is no uniform federal standard on measures, and many states do not offer clear definitions of the data they provide.
https://covidtracking.com/blog/counting-covid-19-tests
National Geographic offered this summary of some modeling on how the risk of infection varies based on time, mask usage, location, and COVID prevalence.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/08/how-to-measure-risk-airborne-coronavirus-your-office-classroom-bus-ride-cvd/
I think this pairs nicely with South Carolina data that demonstrates drops in infection rates after four weeks in areas with mask mandates. The data highlights that the most significant reduction in cases was in areas with the highest population densities. They mandate masks.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2020/08/12/coronavirus-cases-drop-46-in-parts-of-s-carolina-with-mask-mandates-compared-to-areas-without/#5dbfc03b7123
The Atlantic article on the complexity of the immune system is your read-with-a-cup-of-coffee article of the day. It touches on numerous topics that come up week after week on our Q&A calls.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/08/covid-19-immunity-is-the-pandemics-central-mystery/614956/
We continue to see a focus on HCQ.
https://thetexan.news/texas-doctors-promote-hydroxychloroquine-blast-texas-medical-board-on-virtual-town-hall/
But, here are some reviews of the best available data on HCQ, which continues to indicate no benefit and possible harm:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.14.20101774v3
or
https://www.contagionlive.com/publications/contagion/2020/august/hydroxychloroquine-for-covid19-a-lesson-in-study-quality
or
The NY Times offers its outstanding COVID drug and treatment tracker - rounding up data from numerous studies on HCQ - no indication it prevents or treats patients with any illness degree.
Seemingly out of nowhere, politicians and a pillow salesman offer their endorsement of an unproven therapy for COVID -- oleandrin. Prepare to gird your mental loins for this round of adventures in data-free therapeutics:
https://www.axios.com/trump-covid-oleandrin-9896f570-6cd8-4919-af3a-65ebad113d41.html
Violating my 4-topic rule (self-imposed), here is a discussion about the misquoted published CDC guidelines reported in various media on Friday. CDC is advising that immunity lasts for AT LEAST 3 months, not UP TO 3 months. Important distinction.
https://twitter.com/CT_Bergstrom/status/1294406797512650752?s=20
Infographics of the day - Hooked on Phonics.
You too can learn about the basics of human sound with an interactive phonetics chart https://www.ipachart.com/
AND the interactive human mouth - Interactive articulatory speech synthesis (with the unfortunate name of Pink Trombone) https://dood.al/pinktrombone/
Turn down your speakers for the pink trombone, or you may invite questions from those in earshot of your computer.
------------ Bonus Round - History of Presentations
I started medical school in 1997. We had laptops, PowerPoint, and projectors. BUT, there were a disturbing number of presentations that used physical slides. Many of those slides were white or yellow text on blue. And they offended my sense of aesthetics. (And then PowerPoint templates came out and it was a step backward, but that is a different story). Over the weekend, I found an overview of the history of medical presentations. It is surprisingly entertaining.
https://twitter.com/AdamRodmanMD/status/1294251590392700928
And, in case you want more background, a brief (and not-so-nostalgic) history of PowerPoint can be found at https://www.hult.edu/blog/brief-history-of-powerpoint/
Clean hands, sharp minds, and black text on white backgrounds,
-Adam
Monday
There are moments when I suddenly feel that I am not representing the "best practices of parenting." Most recently, I felt this while watching the Will Farrell movie Talladega Nights (at my prompting) with my sons (who are both in high school). Despite being released in 2006, I think the movie's humor has held up well. It is silly and funny. All of us were enjoying it.
There are moments when I suddenly feel that I am not representing the "best practices of parenting." Most recently, I felt this while watching the Will Farrell movie Talladega Nights (at my prompting) with my sons (who are both in high school). Despite being released in 2006, I think the movie's humor has held up well. It is silly and funny. All of us were enjoying it.
Nevertheless, the film leans on stereotyping, even if that stereotyping mocks unrefined parts of American culture. So, here is the suck-the-fun-out-of-it question: Can I enjoy the movie AND recognize the logical fallacy of lumping individuals into a group (NASCAR fans and the French in this case)? While I think my kids can handle this nuance, these ideas speak to the challenges of humor and the fine lines that exist. Moreover, I think it demonstrates how effortless, almost banal, bias can be.
------------
Latest Data
Global-View:
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
Nationally:
a slow decline in new cases per million in the US (still around 50,000 a day)
stable deaths @ 3.2 per million (or about 1000 deaths per day) in the US for the last 7-8 days
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=usa&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usfl&areasRegional=ustx&areasRegional=usco&cumulative=0&logScale=0&perMillion=1&values=cases
Also, look at https://covidtracking.com/data
The US Regionally:
There are both falling rates of new cases and death per million in more states than not, per FT data.
The NYT has the best state-level data visualization:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
About the data:
https://covidtracking.com/about-data/visualization-guide is the best resource to understand data visualization and data integrity.
-----------
There continue to be numerous variables impacting data and data reliability. For instance, lower testing rates in Texas have INCREASED positivity rates and created confusion.
https://covidtracking.com/blog/something-is-wrong-with-testing-data-in-the-great-state-of-texas
But data collection is not simple. The COVID tracking project offered this comprehensive blog post on variation in state testing and reporting. I am shocked that there is no uniform federal standard on measures, and many states do not offer clear definitions of the data they provide.
https://covidtracking.com/blog/counting-covid-19-tests
National Geographic offered this summary of some modeling on how the risk of infection varies based on time, mask usage, location, and COVID prevalence.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/08/how-to-measure-risk-airborne-coronavirus-your-office-classroom-bus-ride-cvd/
I think this pairs nicely with South Carolina data that demonstrates drops in infection rates after four weeks in areas with mask mandates. The data highlights that the most significant reduction in cases was in areas with the highest population densities. They mandate masks.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2020/08/12/coronavirus-cases-drop-46-in-parts-of-s-carolina-with-mask-mandates-compared-to-areas-without/#5dbfc03b7123
The Atlantic article on the complexity of the immune system is your read-with-a-cup-of-coffee article of the day. It touches on numerous topics that come up week after week on our Q&A calls.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/08/covid-19-immunity-is-the-pandemics-central-mystery/614956/
We continue to see a focus on HCQ.
https://thetexan.news/texas-doctors-promote-hydroxychloroquine-blast-texas-medical-board-on-virtual-town-hall/
But, here are some reviews of the best available data on HCQ, which continues to indicate no benefit and possible harm:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.14.20101774v3
or
https://www.contagionlive.com/publications/contagion/2020/august/hydroxychloroquine-for-covid19-a-lesson-in-study-quality
or
The NY Times offers its outstanding COVID drug and treatment tracker - rounding up data from numerous studies on HCQ - no indication it prevents or treats patients with any illness degree.
Seemingly out of nowhere, politicians and a pillow salesman offer their endorsement of an unproven therapy for COVID -- oleandrin. Prepare to gird your mental loins for this round of adventures in data-free therapeutics:
https://www.axios.com/trump-covid-oleandrin-9896f570-6cd8-4919-af3a-65ebad113d41.html
Violating my 4-topic rule (self-imposed), here is a discussion about the misquoted published CDC guidelines reported in various media on Friday. CDC is advising that immunity lasts for AT LEAST 3 months, not UP TO 3 months. Important distinction.
https://twitter.com/CT_Bergstrom/status/1294406797512650752?s=20
Infographics of the day - Hooked on Phonics.
You too can learn about the basics of human sound with an interactive phonetics chart https://www.ipachart.com/
AND the interactive human mouth - Interactive articulatory speech synthesis (with the unfortunate name of Pink Trombone) https://dood.al/pinktrombone/
Turn down your speakers for the pink trombone, or you may invite questions from those in earshot of your computer.
------------ Bonus Round - History of Presentations
I started medical school in 1997. We had laptops, PowerPoint, and projectors. BUT, there were a disturbing number of presentations that used physical slides. Many of those slides were white or yellow text on blue. And they offended my sense of aesthetics. (And then PowerPoint templates came out and it was a step backward, but that is a different story). Over the weekend, I found an overview of the history of medical presentations. It is surprisingly entertaining.
https://twitter.com/AdamRodmanMD/status/1294251590392700928
And, in case you want more background, a brief (and not-so-nostalgic) history of PowerPoint can be found at https://www.hult.edu/blog/brief-history-of-powerpoint/
Clean hands, sharp minds, and black text on white backgrounds,
-Adam
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