Using Data To Combat COVID-19

Let's examine the communication breakdown from a more human perspective: Reporting numbers and statistics is only half the battle. The person receiving the information has to decode, interpret, and decide for themselves what this information means to them. This includes exacerbating factors like confirmation bias, and the inaccessibility of credible information (or, put another way, the relative ease with which one can find misinformation). Confirmation bias is a type of cognitive bias where information that is consistent with our existing beliefs is weighted with greater importance and is more likely to be remembered than information that is inconsistent with our existing beliefs. For example, if you prefer the colour red to blue, and there are equally valid studies published on why red is better and why blue is better, you're more likely to believe and remember the study that supports your love of the colour red.