ASCP Skin Deep

COVID 2020

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for the latest info, visit https://www.ascpskincare.com/updates/blog-posts/coronavirus-and-your-practice 19 Research Letters Are Not the Same as Research Due to the urgency of the situation, researchers are collecting as much data as they can, as fast as possible, under strained circumstances. They are not observing the stringent statistical methods used in more carefully designed clinical trials or observational studies because the current situation does not allow for that. The articles themselves describe the methods undertaken, which were clearly chosen to attempt to provide raw data to the scientific community. This is valuable information, but comes with the caveat that it has not yet undergone full scientific screening. Note About Source Reliability Take a quick look at the Johns Hopkins source cited at the end of this article. You might notice that it states the date 2017. Many uninformed readers could jump to the conclusion that I have used an outdated source, or that COVID-19 has been around for longer and the current hysteria is all a hoax. That kind of thinking is how conspiracy theories are born, and they put people in danger. The actual reason for this is because the Johns Hopkins ABX guides were originally developed in 2017. At the time of writing, this guide states: "Updated: March 23, 2020." This is what is meant by "due diligence" when appraising any source. Two excellent nonspecialist sources to refer to if the raw research is too complex are The Conversation, written by academics for the non-specialist layperson; and the Johns Hopkins Hub. Both provide further information on recent research and key issues surrounding the current pandemic. 11

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