A Conundrum

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo indicated that preliminary results of statewide random testing of residents showed that roughly 2.9 million residents or 13.9% showed evidence of COVID-19 antibodies (21% in New York City) ... see: AP Story. So far the number of diagnosed cases in the state are over 262,000 ... which suggests that the key multiplier in New York is slightly more than 11x. The multiplier in LA was estimated at 55x ... and that in Sant Clara at between 48x and 82x ... see: Antibody Study.

The interesting conundrum about these statistics is the dichotomy between the East Coast and the West Coast ... the West Coast having fewer cases on a percentage basis ... but higher multipliers between the symptomatic and asymptomatic cases ... and the East Coast, just the opposite (so far).

The most obvious possible resolutions to this conundrum are fourfold (or combinations thereof):

- COVID-19 actually infected the West Coast late last year ... before it was recognized as such ... producing all those there with antibodies. These infections have not been counted in the current numbers.

- There are different strains of coronavirus on the East And West Coasts

- The data collection processes are flawed ... either sloppy ... or purposefully biased

- On the West Coast, personal cars are the transportation of choice ... on the East Coast, it is often unsanitary public transportation


Do you have other ideas? To stay up to date with this “invisible enemy” see: Latest Data.