TL;DR

The UK government has released a series of communications outlining the five tests they will use to track and inform COVID-19 lockdown measures. The government’s video regarding an infection rate, or R value, is a great example of data driven storytelling.

TS:WM

This one will be short

This will be a short one. See the video above. I have been following the COVID-19 crisis with great interest, not only from a geo-political perspective but because of the challenges it presents in terms of data while we search for facts and truth about the virus. While the UK government has not done outstanding in all regards, I think it is important to highlight good work that is informative and helpful.

As the above video explains, what is an infection rate, or R value, that the government will use to inform their lockdown easing when the time comes? This video uses colour and animation to great effect to visualise several points:

• What the R value is
• Why it’s important
• How it is measured
• What it is telling us
• Where the government wants to get to with it

Nothing is ambiguous, the purpose and information is clear and easy to follow for anyone watching. I think this is a great product and an excellent example of data driven storytelling. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did and well done to the team that created this product.