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Choice of Outcome in COVID-19 Studies and Implications for Policy: Mortality and Fatality.

ABSTRACT: In this brief communication, we discuss the confusion of mortality with fatality in the interpretation of evidence in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and how this confusion affects the translation of science into policy and practice. We discuss how this confusion has influenced COVID-19 policy in France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and discuss the implications for decision-making about COVID-19 vaccine distribution. We also discuss how this confusion is an example of a more general statistical fallacy we term the "Missing Link Fallacy."

SUBMITTER: Westreich D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8513401 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Choice of Outcome in COVID-19 Studies and Implications for Policy: Mortality and Fatality.

Westreich Daniel D Edwards Jessie K JK Tennant Peter W G PWG Murray Eleanor J EJ van Smeden Maarten M

American journal of epidemiology 20220101 2

In this brief communication, we discuss the confusion of mortality with fatality in the interpretation of evidence in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and how this confusion affects the translation of science into policy and practice. We discuss how this confusion has influenced COVID-19 policy in France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and discuss the implications for decision-making about COVID-19 vaccine distribution. We also discuss how this confusion is an example of a more ...[more]

PMID: 34613347

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