Starry-eyed about vaccination data

There are lies, damned lies, and sun sign-based statistics. In the US, Utah's Salt Lake county health department has opted for the third, using the zodiac to chart differences in Covid vaccination rates. In the anonymised data analysis, Leo has come up tops, with 70% of those born between July 22 and August 23 fully vaccinated, followed by Aquarius (67%, January 19-February 18). Scorpio, lacking sting in its tail, has the lowest number of vaccinated, coming last in the inoculation stakes with 46%. Interestingly, Scorpions make the largest population in the US, while Leons and Aquarians the least. So, is this zodiac-vaccination correlation worth digging up our Ganesha Speaks and Linda Goodmans to make a vaccine policy pitch? Hold your Sagittarius just yet.

Numbers can be divvied up in any way one chooses. So, if the Utah authorities wanted to check vaccination rates according to the height of its 1.2 million residents - or, say, according to their fondness for fondue, or choice of favourite colours - yet another data-driven picture would have cropped up. Sun signs are categories that are as valid as the choice of family deities or sports teams supported, with one's birth date thrust on the person rather than chosen. To that effect, one interesting survey would be to find out which sun signs are most, and least, disposed towards sun signs.