But it’s not a distortion like the other things I mentioned
Both are distortions if you are trying to determine the amount of daily spread in an area. Which is what we should be using to determine how much social distancing and other protective measures like masks we need to be doing.
Georgia’s graph was showing new cases for the last two days at under 30 new cases for the whole state. That could lead people to believe there is no longer a need for social distancing. But the real numbers are probably north of 300 new cases a day.
Counting repeat tests as entire new cases, can make the public more cautions of going out and hurt the recovery.
And distortions in either direction lowers the public trust in the numbers and can hurt the recovery.