The COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in an influx of data and research. The External Resources are intended to provide Members with a shortlist of useful sources for data and research.
As always, Members are encouraged to be critical of this data/research. More than usual, this is essential in the COVID-19 environment for various reasons, including:
- a scarcity of COVID-19 cases in Australia/New Zealand may be leading Members to extrapolate data from other countries (where the suitability of such comparisons may be limited);
- the fact that many research papers are being shared prior to peer-review and/or may not have statistically significant findings ('pre-prints');
- that many Members are not experts in epidemiology or medicine; and
- that there are still unknowns in the COVID-19 situation, such as whether a vaccine will be possible.
On a broader level we encourage all members to be think critically about the assumptions underlying the material they are reading or producing.