The difference between Florida and California

[Mick]

Florida and California addressed the COVID-19 pandemic in two vastly different approaches.  Results in infections, hospitalizations and deaths aren't all that different.

https://news.yahoo.com/california-florid...25306.html

[cardcrimson]

I wonder if the average age of Floridian's of 42 years versus CA's average age of 36.5 made any difference. Methinks, yes.

[magnus]

A demographic breakdown would give better insight.

[cardcrimson]

A demographic breakdown would give better insight.

          Florida  California
0-14   16.24    18.7
15-24 11.67    13.1
25-34 12.62    15.3
35-44 12.17    13.4
45-54 12.4      12.6
55-64 13.33    12.1
65-74 12.12      8.6
75-84   6.71      4.4
85+     2.73      1.8

Not surprising. The 65+ percentages much higher in FL, the under 44 much higher in CA. Florida did remarkably well based on the demographics.

[M_T]

The article mentioned humidity as a possible mitigating factor for infection spread in Florida. Temperature also (but while CA has some areas much colder than FL, the heaviest population areas in CA have moderate temperatures).

Remember that age is only a factor in deaths, not in infections. (Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if from April to December, age was a negative factor for infections. I'd be shocked if after Jan 2021 age wasn't a negative factor for infections.)

[ChrisGreene]

I think that the governing factor might be income disparities, living conditions, or that sort of demographics. California's problem appears to be (though I have not done an analysis) LA county where a lot of large families are living in small houses and have service jobs. As usual, that's an oversimplification. The point is that age might not be the right demographic to follow here.

[cardcrimson]

I think that the governing factor might be income disparities, living conditions, or that sort of demographics. California's problem appears to be (though I have not done an analysis) LA county where a lot of large families are living in small houses and have service jobs. As usual, that's an oversimplification. The point is that age might not be the right demographic to follow here.

I was primarily concerned with death rates, not necessarily infection rates. Age and co-morbidities seem to play a major role in the death rates, and Florida's isn't much worse than CA's even with a significantly larger percent of those in the problematic age groups.

[fullmetal]

Do we trust the data coming out of Florida given the prior drama with the data scientist's firing there?

[Hurlburt88]

Personally I think the data is at least approximately right.   What I don't "trust" is drawing a conclusion from the surface data without looking deeper at specific drivers.   I guess it will take more than this one comparison to convince me that social distancing and masks don't have a meaningful impact.

[cardcrimson]

Personally I think the data is at least approximately right.   What I don't "trust" is drawing a conclusion from the surface data without looking deeper at specific drivers.   I guess it will take more than this one comparison to convince me that social distancing and masks don't have a meaningful impact.

Masks and distancing are one thing. Lockdowns, school and business closures, elimination of youth sports, etc are all quite another.