That being said, what is your opinion of the projection data provided in the recent link?
As an engineer (but not a scientist or a statistician) I am always skeptical of "projections" when there is no backup info on how the projection was made and what assumptions were made in arriving at the projection. This site seems to have some basis in what the states are doing in the way of recommended or mandatory controls (stay at home orders, etc) so it is the first that I have any respect for that I have seen. It is very scary and highlights the need for effective controls imposed and FOLLOWED. I was dismayed and frankly angry at New Yorkers standing elbow to elbow watching the Comfort come into New York. DeBlasio should quit lecturing us and start doing some enforcing NOW not only for the the city but for the country as a whole.
I personally will refrain from political conversations. It is not my area of expertise.
With regards to the projections: All models are only as good as the data and knowledge that is going into them. There are always assumptions made as it is impossible to know every possible input. Furthermore, every possible input would likely be impossible to handle in a model so some kind of assumptions are always being made.
With the above said, epidemics/pandemics have been under study for some time at this point, and the current models are taking into consideration as much as is known to the extent possible. Are they prefect? Of course not, and skepticism is a healthy thing.
You also state "no backup info on how" - so an honest question is, if you had it, would you be capable of fully understanding the implications and what may be better needed to be included? I have done a fair amount of work in modeling over a range of applications and the conversations I have with the folk directly involved with this field of modeling is a whole other world. For myself, I can honestly say I am not capable.
What I can say, is that within the realm of modeling experts I know, they are doing the best possible work they can to use these models in the most accurate way possible. I cannot comment on the probably hundreds, if not thousands, of models found by googling around.
dj