May 4, 2020

Michael T. LeVasseur, PhD, MPH, a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Dornsife, has commented extensively in news stories about COVID-19. He shared his thoughts on the Drexel News Blog:

As state and local governments discuss when to lift stay-at-home orders and other restrictions, a lot is at stake. Before quality of life – and yes, financial and political decisions are made – here’s what we need to obtain true infection rates, fix inconsistent reporting and accurately understand the data needed to re-open the country safely:

1. Accurate and transparent data needs to be shared with the public.
2. Increase capacity for testing.
3. States should report their testing consistently.

As communities begin to look for benchmarks for when to open back up, these questions need to be addressed. Lives and the short-and long-term success of the economy are at stake.

Read LeVasseur's full commentary on the Drexel News Blog: Of Apples and Oranges in a Pandemic.