Before revision:  As a result, infections and deaths appear to grow faster at those larger scales than they do within typical counties that make up those larger regions . Public policy, economic analysis and epidemic modeling have to account for potential distortions introduced by spatial aggregation.
After revision:  The staggered spread of COVID-19 can also make aggregated growth rates appear higher even when subregions grow at the same rate . Public policy, economic analysis and epidemic modeling have to account for potential distortions introduced by spatial aggregation.