Slovakia's Mass Testing: A Critical Look at the Negative Effects (Dataset and Figures)

This repository contains the underlying data and high-resolution visualizations supporting the e-letter submitted to Science in response to Pavelka et al. (2021) DOI: 10.1126/science.abf9648, https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abf9648 The dataset provides a granular re-analysis of Slovakia's nationwide mass antigen testing campaigns, focusing on the temporal mismatch between testing rounds and the evolution of the effective reproduction number (Rt), hospital admissions, and mortality rates. Key contents of this repository:1. Figures (PDF/EPS): Detailed visualizations of epidemiological trajectories in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom, illustrating the divergence in mobility and clinical outcomes.2. Processed Data: Aggregated public data from the Google Community Mobility Reports and official national health statistics used to calculate the mortality-to-hospital admission ratios.3. Analysis Scripts (optional): Gnuplot scripts used to generate the figures, ensuring the reproducibility of our findings. Our analysis demonstrates that the sustained high mobility and social mixing in Slovakia—driven by the testing policy—contributed to a systemic strain on the healthcare system, resulting in a prolonged mortality plateau during the first quarter of 2021. Usage: These materials are intended for verification of the arguments presented in the associated e-letter. For inquiries regarding the methodology, please contact the authors through the metadata provided. References M. Pavelka, et al., The impact of population-wide rapid antigen testing on SARS-CoV-2prevalence in Slovakia. Science 372 (6542), 635–641 (2021), doi:10.1126/science.abf9648,https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.abf9648.