Review
Interpreting SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, deaths, and fatality rate — Making a case for standardized reporting to improve communication

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mbs.2021.108545Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Reported SARS-CoV-2 quantitative data is missing critical details to provide context.

  • It is important to establish standard-based guidelines to report epidemiological data.

  • Standards will make it easier to interpret SARS-CoV-2 epidemiological data.

  • Standard-based guidelines improve communication, rigor and reproducibility.

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has spread across the world, testing each nation’s ability to understand the state of the pandemic in their country and control it. As we looked into the epidemiological data to uncover the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we discovered that critical metadata is missing which is meant to give context to epidemiological parameters. In this review, we identify key metadata for the COVID-19 fatality rate after a thorough analysis of mathematical models, serology-informed studies and determinants of causes of death for the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, we find reasons to establish a set of standard-based guidelines to record and report the data from epidemiological studies. Additionally, we discuss why standardizing nomenclature is be a necessary component of these guidelines to improve communication and reproducibility. The goal of establishing these guidelines is to facilitate the interpretation of COVID-19 epidemiological findings and data by the general public, health officials, policymakers and fellow researchers. Our suggestions may not address all aspects of this issue; rather, they are meant to be the foundation for which experts can establish and encourage future guidelines throughout the appropriate communities.

Keywords

Fatality rates
Epidemiology
Metrology
Standard-based guidelines
Communication
Rigor and Reproducibility

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