Roy Williams1, Zoran Bursac, Mary Jo Trepka, Gabriel J Odom. 1. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida (Dr Williams); Department of Biostatistics (Mr Williams and Drs Bursac and Odom), Research Center for Minority Institutions (Drs Bursac and Trepka), and Department of Epidemiology (Dr Trepka), Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, Florida; and Department of Public Health Sciences, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, The University of Miami, Miami, Florida (Dr Odom).
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 represents an unprecedented challenge to policy makers as well as those entrusted with capturing, monitoring, and analyzing COVID-19 data. Effective public policy is data-informed policy. This requires a liaison between public health scientists and public officials. OBJECTIVE: This article details the experience, challenges, and lessons learned advising public officials in a large metropolitan area from March to October 2020. METHODS: To effectively do this, an R Markdown report was created to iteratively monitor the number of COVID-19 tests performed, positive tests obtained, COVID-19 hospitalization census, intensive care unit census, the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators, and the number of deaths due to COVID-19. RESULTS: These reports were presented and discussed at meetings with policy makers to further comprehension. DISCUSSION: To facilitate the fullest understanding by both the general public and policy makers alike, we advocate for greater centralization of public health surveillance data, objective operational definitions of metrics, and greater interagency communication to best guide and inform policy makers. Through consistent data reporting methods, parsimonious and consistent analytic methods, a clear line of communication with policy makers, transparency, and the ability to navigate unforeseen externalities such as "data dumps" and reporting delays, scientists can use information to best support policy makers in times of crises.
INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 represents an unprecedented challenge to policy makers as well as those entrusted with capturing, monitoring, and analyzing COVID-19 data. Effective public policy is data-informed policy. This requires a liaison between public health scientists and public officials. OBJECTIVE: This article details the experience, challenges, and lessons learned advising public officials in a large metropolitan area from March to October 2020. METHODS: To effectively do this, an R Markdown report was created to iteratively monitor the number of COVID-19 tests performed, positive tests obtained, COVID-19 hospitalization census, intensive care unit census, the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators, and the number of deaths due to COVID-19. RESULTS: These reports were presented and discussed at meetings with policy makers to further comprehension. DISCUSSION: To facilitate the fullest understanding by both the general public and policy makers alike, we advocate for greater centralization of public health surveillance data, objective operational definitions of metrics, and greater interagency communication to best guide and inform policy makers. Through consistent data reporting methods, parsimonious and consistent analytic methods, a clear line of communication with policy makers, transparency, and the ability to navigate unforeseen externalities such as "data dumps" and reporting delays, scientists can use information to best support policy makers in times of crises.
Authors: Michelle L Holshue; Chas DeBolt; Scott Lindquist; Kathy H Lofy; John Wiesman; Hollianne Bruce; Christopher Spitters; Keith Ericson; Sara Wilkerson; Ahmet Tural; George Diaz; Amanda Cohn; LeAnne Fox; Anita Patel; Susan I Gerber; Lindsay Kim; Suxiang Tong; Xiaoyan Lu; Steve Lindstrom; Mark A Pallansch; William C Weldon; Holly M Biggs; Timothy M Uyeki; Satish K Pillai Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2020-01-31 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Jazmyn T Moore; Jessica N Ricaldi; Charles E Rose; Jennifer Fuld; Monica Parise; Gloria J Kang; Anne K Driscoll; Tina Norris; Nana Wilson; Gabriel Rainisch; Eduardo Valverde; Vladislav Beresovsky; Christine Agnew Brune; Nadia L Oussayef; Dale A Rose; Laura E Adams; Sindoos Awel; Julie Villanueva; Dana Meaney-Delman; Margaret A Honein Journal: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Date: 2020-08-21 Impact factor: 17.586
Authors: Lauren M Rossen; Amy M Branum; Farida B Ahmad; Paul Sutton; Robert N Anderson Journal: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Date: 2020-10-23 Impact factor: 17.586