Methodology
The combined data in this blog comes from three primary sources, the D.C. Department of Health (DC Health), the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). Each of these organizations publish daily COVID-19 case updates, but each organization publishes the data in a different manner.
DC Health (COVID-19 data repository for DC Health)
The D.C. Department of Health has probably the most details on case information among the three, including cases, recoveries, deaths, and testing details. In addition to a dashboard-style tracker, the department posts a spreadsheet which includes historic case information dating back to the first-known confirmed case in D.C.
MDH (COVID-19 data repository for MDH)
MDH has a dashboard-style tracker which contains various case information, including cases, deaths, recoveries, and limited testing details. Unlike DC Health, MDH does not have historic case information available for analysis (or at least doesn't make it easy to find).
VDH (COVID-19 data repository for VDH)
VDH is much like MDH in that its primary interface is a dashboard-style tracker which contains various case information, including cases, deaths, recoveries, and limited testing details. It also does not have a historic data repoistory. Unlike MDH, VDH produces a daily spreadsheet which includes new case information and limited demographic information for each county and county-level equivalent*.
*Virginia is unique in its abundant level of independent cities, which do not reside in counties and are considered equivalent to counties for statistical purposes.
Methodology
The methodology for this blog is simple: Combine the confirmed case information for the 14 county-level jurisdictions in the DC area and publish updates on them. This will rely overwhelmingly on the daily updates produced by DC Health, MDH, and VDH.
Retrospective/Historic Data
Because Virginia and Maryland's data repositories focus on current case information and do not make historic case data easily available, historic case data must be reconstructed from various sources, mostly local government updates (e.g. press releases) and local media reporting. Separate blog posts will provide greater detail into the reconstructed data for Virginia and Maryland.
Why Did You Exclude [Outlying DC-Area County]?
There are numerous definitions of the "DC Metropolitan area", and one can debate endlessly about which areas are included or excluded. The most expansive is probably the federal government's (specifically OMB) "Washington–Baltimore–Arlington, DC–MD–VA–WV–PA Combined Statistical Area", which spans from Chambersburg, PA to Fredericksbug, VA, as large and clunky as the name implies.
The "Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metropolitan statistical area", also OMB, is much more regionally focused but still covers a considerable area, and is probably larger than is practical for the purposes of this blog.
I personally like the regional definition put forth by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (noted on the introduction post to this blog). Anyone who wishes to expand upon my own work is free to do so using their own standards and methodology.
DC Health (COVID-19 data repository for DC Health)
The D.C. Department of Health has probably the most details on case information among the three, including cases, recoveries, deaths, and testing details. In addition to a dashboard-style tracker, the department posts a spreadsheet which includes historic case information dating back to the first-known confirmed case in D.C.
MDH (COVID-19 data repository for MDH)
MDH has a dashboard-style tracker which contains various case information, including cases, deaths, recoveries, and limited testing details. Unlike DC Health, MDH does not have historic case information available for analysis (or at least doesn't make it easy to find).
VDH (COVID-19 data repository for VDH)
VDH is much like MDH in that its primary interface is a dashboard-style tracker which contains various case information, including cases, deaths, recoveries, and limited testing details. It also does not have a historic data repoistory. Unlike MDH, VDH produces a daily spreadsheet which includes new case information and limited demographic information for each county and county-level equivalent*.
*Virginia is unique in its abundant level of independent cities, which do not reside in counties and are considered equivalent to counties for statistical purposes.
Methodology
The methodology for this blog is simple: Combine the confirmed case information for the 14 county-level jurisdictions in the DC area and publish updates on them. This will rely overwhelmingly on the daily updates produced by DC Health, MDH, and VDH.
Retrospective/Historic Data
Because Virginia and Maryland's data repositories focus on current case information and do not make historic case data easily available, historic case data must be reconstructed from various sources, mostly local government updates (e.g. press releases) and local media reporting. Separate blog posts will provide greater detail into the reconstructed data for Virginia and Maryland.
Why Did You Exclude [Outlying DC-Area County]?
There are numerous definitions of the "DC Metropolitan area", and one can debate endlessly about which areas are included or excluded. The most expansive is probably the federal government's (specifically OMB) "Washington–Baltimore–Arlington, DC–MD–VA–WV–PA Combined Statistical Area", which spans from Chambersburg, PA to Fredericksbug, VA, as large and clunky as the name implies.
The "Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metropolitan statistical area", also OMB, is much more regionally focused but still covers a considerable area, and is probably larger than is practical for the purposes of this blog.
I personally like the regional definition put forth by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (noted on the introduction post to this blog). Anyone who wishes to expand upon my own work is free to do so using their own standards and methodology.
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