Tools for Data Visualization
1. Tableau
o Pros: Offers a wide range of visualization options and can connect directly to
various data sources.
o Cons: Requires a license for full functionality.
2. Datawrapper
o Pros: Provides easy-to-use interactive charts and maps, ideal for web-based
publications.
o Cons: Limited customization options compared to other tools.
3. RStudio with Shiny
o Pros: Allows for creating interactive web applications using R; open-source.
o Cons: Requires proficiency in R programming.
4. Python with Matplotlib/Seaborn
o Pros: Highly customizable; suitable for advanced multi-panel visualizations.
o Cons: Requires Python programming skills.
5. ArcGIS/CARTO
o Specialized in geospatial data visualization, ideal for mapping COVID-19
cases by region.
6. Jupyter Notebook/RStudio/MS Excel
These platforms can be used to explore and visualize data before moving it into more
specialized visualization tools like Tableau or Datawrapper2.
7. The New York Times GitHub repository provides live-updating U.S.-based COVID-
19 case data that can be used with various visualization tools12.
Tips for Visualizing COVID-19 Data
1. Start simple with basic graphics like maps or line charts if you're new to data
visualization7.
2. Use logarithmic scales when showing exponential growth trends3.
3. Ensure your visualizations are updated regularly if they depend on real-time data2.
Example Code Snippet Using Python (Matplotlib)
Here's an example of how you might visualize daily cases using Python:
python
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import pandas as pd
# Load your dataset (e.g., from CSV)
data = pd.read_csv('covid_cases.csv')
# Plotting daily cases over time
plt.figure(figsize=(10, 6))
plt.plot(data['Date'], data['Cases'], marker='o')
plt.title('Daily COVID-19 Cases Over Time')
plt.xlabel('Date')
plt.ylabel('Number of Cases')
plt.grid(True)
plt.show()
This code snippet assumes you have a CSV file named covid_cases.csv containing
columns labeled Date and Cases. Adjustments may be needed based on your actual dataset
structure.
These tools offer flexibility in creating both static reports (like PDFs) and dynamic web-
based dashboards that can help communicate complex epidemiological trends effectively
during the pandemic response efforts!
Citations:
1. https://blog.mapbox.com/notable-maps-visualizing-covid-19-and-surrounding-
impacts-951724cc4bd8
2. https://dlab.berkeley.edu/news/data-and-tools-mapping-covid-19
3. https://guides.libraries.emory.edu/c.php?g=1032085&p=7905967
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9517757/
5. https://researchmethodscommunity.sagepub.com/blog/tools-and-tech/turning-covid-
19-into-a-data-visualization-exercise-for-your-students
6. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9373130
7. https://gijn.org/stories/10-tips-for-visualizing-covid-19-data/
8. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
387953934_Visualization_Tool_Exploring_COVID-19_Data