Every day, state and county governments release data about new COVID-19 cases and deaths. Watching big swings in numbers can make it seem like things are getting a lot worse, or a lot better. But problems in gathering and reporting that data mean they don’t give us the full picture of how the pandemic is going. Here are some key things to keep in mind when you hear COVID-19 numbers.

Guest: WHYY/PlanPhilly data reporter Ryan Briggs