Southwestern Public Health is pushing pause on its popular COVID-19 data dashboard.
The site which included a scorecard of local cases, hospitalizations, outbreaks and deaths annually racked up more than 190,000 unique visitors.
The health unit advises recent changes to provincial data collection and limited testing eligibility have impacted the statistical credibility of the current dashboard.
Health unit program manager Carolyn Richards notes, “What began as a method to compile and report case data became an important tool for local residents to assess COVID-19 risks.”
She adds the health unit now has fewer data sources and so a pause is needed.
“We see such value in connecting local residents with data that informs them of health risks, especially as we plan for how to communicate other respiratory risks in fall and winter,” stresses Richards.
The health unit is looking to relaunch the site as a respiratory virus dashboard in early fall to align with provincial surveillance plans for respiratory virus reporting.
