All the Coronavirus Statistics Are Flawed
Are we winning the war against COVID-19? In the fog of pandemic, we simply don’t know.
Editor’s Note: The Atlantic is making vital coverage of the coronavirus available to all readers. Find the collection here.
This is war.
That is the clear message from governments around the world that have locked down their populations and ordered businesses shuttered. It is the new reality for corporations that are repurposing their facilities to manufacture ventilators, masks, and hand sanitizer to beat back the coronavirus. It is the battle cry of celebrities—and legions of less famous people—urging their fellow citizens to sacrifice their social lives for the common good.
Many people will want to know in the next few weeks how the war effort is going. Are infections still rising exponentially, or are we
