> metric takes people who have never taken a test and lumps them into "COVID negative,"

True, but the statistic is still useful with respect to comparisons to other locations in the country under the same reporting constraints.

...which hnrodey didn't include in the comment.

Also, I have consciously avoided the term COVID negative. Exactly why I write “have not had a COVID positive test”.

But you have used it though.

> What's the issue with simply reversing that metric to show many people are COVID negative?

Thanks for calling me out. It was a mistake in my earlier comment and I have added an edit.

I need to do better.

I would report test positivity rate if I had a source. I’m not trying to hide anything.

I contend that if you are not taking a test it’s because you didn’t need a test.

It’s also misleading to report only case positivity. Some areas of the country allow only people who have active symptoms to get a test thereby skewing the results.

This is a very misleading statistic you're providing, especially to people who may not be as data-oriented as us, and also a very broad assumption that definitely doesn't hold. Case positivity is a real number based on number of tests, it's not making inferences on things like the rates among those who haven't been tested.

I understand this is your site and you built it, and it's hard to let that go. But, I would implore you to rethink it until you get the data needed to add real insights to the conversations, not misleading stats based on what you have now.

> I contend that if you are not taking a test it’s because you didn’t need a test.

Another reason you might not take a test is that you don't know you need it.

Life is full of risk and trade-off’s. I document my grievances on the About page.

Asymptotic transmission is real (per the CDC) so I’ll accept that as fact. Ultimately if you view yourself as a high risk then it should be a personal responsibility to protect yourself. I believe my family and I to be low risk - citizens should be free to decide their tolerance for risk and act accordingly. Other families across the country and world have similar feelings about health.

I’m frustrated watching small business owners get crushed, bad their employees lose their livelihood.

There is significant damage being done with shutdowns and lockdowns that is with great chance worse than this disease itself.

I'm frustrated too.

But I think your point is strong enough to be presented without exaggeration or misleading.