PONE-D-22-02371Visualizing Omicron: COVID-19 Deaths vs. Cases Over TimePLOS ONE

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: I Don't Know

Reviewer #2: N/A

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

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Reviewer #1: This publications accesses publicly available information on COVID cases and deaths and utilizes a novel type of graphic display to illustrate the dynamics of the infection. It includes a large number of fascinating graphs which show differences in the different waves of COVID.

In using the plots to compare countries, as stated in the discussion, it's important to realize that both X and Y axes are scaled differently from graph to graph; I think it would be valuable to say this prior to the detailed country-by-country discussion for the readers' benefit.

I wonder if it's possible to make the discussion more specific about how to utilize this type of graph to illuminate causative epidemiological variables? As a non-specialist in statistics, I'm left a bit unsatisfied by the assertion in the Discussion that subanalyses and different variables may prove fruitful. Why? What sorts of relationships would these plots illuminate that other approaches to data analysis might miss? Can you draw specific analogies to their use in other dynamical systems?

Would it make sense to pick a country or two, display cases vs deaths graphs side-by-side with more-conventional representations, and discuss the differences in information conveyed? Right now, the paper seems slightly epiphenomenal; these are cool graphs, but it's a bit unclear exactly what makes them distinctively useful.

Reviewer #2: In this paper, the authors have utilized an uncommon COVID-19 graph plotting system for visualizing the pandemic data, which however is a standard plotting method used in dynamic systems, to easily visualize and effectively draw attention to commonalities and differences in the relationship between COVID-19 cases and deaths over time for varying waves of COVID-19 variants, particularly the omicron, in a number of countries and the world as a whole. The graph is plotted with the COVID-19 biweekly deaths per million on the Y-axis and biweekly cases per million on the X-axis over time in a scatterplot to visually distinguishes waves seen with each of the variants and to illustrate the rich infection dynamics of the pandemic in different countries.

I see no major issues and one minor issue. On page 4, results section, 1st paragraph, and 2nd sentence, It looks as though the author wanted to state "total death vs. total cases" and not "total death vs. total death". Overall, I accept the publication with one minor corrections since the paper meets all seven criteria set by the journal.

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Reviewer #1: Yes: Sheldon Campbell

Reviewer #2: No

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Visualizing Omicron: COVID-19 Deaths vs. Cases Over Time

PONE-D-22-02371R1

Dear Dr. Arnaout,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Kind regards,

Etsuro Ito

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE