Managing the meaning of data in public health: from maths to cues to action

Mathematics took centre stage during the COVID-19 pandemic that decimated jobs, placed millions of vulnerable lives at risk, and posed an existential threat to younger generations. Social and traditional media platforms reported daily updates about the number of expected pandemic victims. R, the metric used to measure the transmissibility of viruses, became a household term as case numbers doubled rapidly. The government, public, and mass media focused on this number to communicate the pandemic risk. Simple data visualisation became the primary means of communicating the pandemic's spread to the public. The "flatten the curve" line chart became the dominant way of communicating that physical distancing, mask-wearing, and other public health measures would decrease the peak number of cases and prevent the healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed. However, the curve did not effectively communicate the risk of infection to individuals. As a result, it failed to instill a personal sense of urgency to change their behaviours and avoid close contact in response to the viral threat. This research aims to "manage the meaning" of public health data so that individuals would choose socially responsible behaviours rather than reluctantly adhering to a set of rules imposed by public authorities. Translating mathematical variables into cues for action would enhance the impact of public health policies in response to future public health crises.