We need a more accurate comparison of how #COVID19 is affecting mortality around the world.

But current reported counts of deaths have limitations, including:

Variation in testing coverage
Exclusion of persons dying in the community

What can be done? Thread

In @FT (£), David Leon et al. suggest analysis of weekly excess deaths from any cause would provide an additional and highly comparable #PublicHealth index.

This sidesteps the challenge of consistently counting deaths attributable to #COVID19.

https://on.ft.com/2V5BmR9 

'National statistics agencies should rise to the challenge and make data public with minimal delay, broken down by sex, age group and subnational region' like UK's @ONS.

This well help beat the current pandemic and formulate lessons for future outbreaks. @DrTedros @UNStats