Antigen testing is becoming an important diagnostic tool in outbreak areas such as nursing homes and the state of Texas. What data do we need to keep track of these tests?
That's a great question. There are several states, like Florida, that have major data quality issues but get an "A" grade from CTP because our grading system hasn't been updated in a while -- the last major update was at the end of April. (https://covidtracking.com/blog/weve-launched-a-new-state-grading-system) This rubric simply reflects which COVID-19 metrics states are and aren't reporting. Back in April, many states still weren't reporting some basic metrics, such as current hospitalizations and case demographics, which was reflected in their grades. But now, almost every state does report these metrics, so most states have As/Bs. The state grading team is working on another update to their grading rubric which will reflect more detailed data quality metrics; once that's out, Florida's grade will certainly drop.
Hi Betsy - it sounds like Florida data sucks. Why does the CTP give Florida an "A" grade on its data?
That's a great question. There are several states, like Florida, that have major data quality issues but get an "A" grade from CTP because our grading system hasn't been updated in a while -- the last major update was at the end of April. (https://covidtracking.com/blog/weve-launched-a-new-state-grading-system) This rubric simply reflects which COVID-19 metrics states are and aren't reporting. Back in April, many states still weren't reporting some basic metrics, such as current hospitalizations and case demographics, which was reflected in their grades. But now, almost every state does report these metrics, so most states have As/Bs. The state grading team is working on another update to their grading rubric which will reflect more detailed data quality metrics; once that's out, Florida's grade will certainly drop.