As the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, Rhode Island has relied on data and science to help guide its response. At the Rhode Island Department of Health, the COVID-19 Data and Analytics Team is responsible for collecting and organizing statewide data that has informed decisions about reopening businesses and schools, and protecting people from the virus. This week, you’ll hear from some of those team members.  

Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan get into the nitty gritty of COVID-19 data, asking our guest experts to clarify the difference between reporting deaths from COVID-19 and deaths with COVID-19 and talk about the importance of reducing hospitalization rates due to COVID-19. 

This week's guest experts include Leanne Lasher, the chief data officer at RIDOH for the COVID-19 response; Dr. Katy Donovan, an infectious disease epidemiologist; Mark Freeman, lead data scientist; and Shivani Arora, COVID-19 quantification team lead. They’ll talk about data on COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations, and vaccinations, which reveal where Rhode Island is in its COVID-19 response, and where it should go next. They also talk about the level of protection that the COVID-19 vaccines and booster dose provide. Download this week’s episode to learn more.