[calebsurfs]

To me the hospitalization rate is most important.

* Overcrowded hospitals is what leads to large jumps in fatality rates.

* It only lags the date of infection by about a week.

* It also isn't subject to external factors like availability of tests. (Though availability of hospital beds is a factor later on)

[Jommi]

Yes, this is very important. But one should not forget also the avg. hospitalization time (which will go down once we have clear procedures for treating COVID in different stage)

[andfrob]

Agreed! Still not available much on a county level in the San Francisco Bay Area :(