Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?

Data and Metrics Data Literacy Infection and Spread Testing and Contact Tracing

A: Definitely not positive psychology! The positivity rate is simply the fraction of people who test positive for COVID-19 out of all the people who get tested. It is important because it is a rough indicator of how much of the true extent of COVID-19 infection is being detected and diagnosed. In other words, a Read more…

I miss my family and friends. What is the risk of getting together for a small gathering?

Families/Kids Socializing

A: Small gatherings of any size are highly discouraged. A recent publication by the CDC outlines the sequence of infections (contact tracing) among a cluster of Covid-19 infections in Chicago following a funeral and a birthday party. One positive individual attended both events and subsequently infected *15* family and friends, not counting asymptomatic carriers and Read more…