E-Paper
Covid-19: Indian-origin experts on new UK data analytics panel
Others on the 13-member group include Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan, president of the Royal Society, and Lalita Ramakrishnan, professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Cambridge.
Devi Sridhar, professor of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh, is chairing a new data-driven initiative convened by the Royal Society to find the most important factors that can help slow the spread of coronavirus.
Others on the 13-member group include Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan, president of the Royal Society, and Lalita Ramakrishnan, professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Cambridge.
A fellowship of many of the world’s most eminent scientists and the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence, the Royal Society said on Friday: “We are at a crucial juncture in the UK’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic”.
“There is a pressing need to analyse emerging data from countries around the world to identify the most important factors that can help slow the spread of the virus and help find long-term solutions to the pandemic. Science has helped to guide the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and there is more the community can do to complement existing efforts”.
The group called DELVE (Data Evaluation and Learning for Viral Epidemics) will provide input to the Boris Johnson government through the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.
DELVE is tasked to contribute data driven analysis to complement the evidence base informing the UK’s strategic response, by analysing national and international data to determine the effect of different measures and strategies on a range of public health, social and economic outcomes.
It will also use emerging sources of data as new evidence from the unfolding pandemic comes to light, and ensure that the work of this group is coordinated with others and communicated as necessary both nationally and internationally.
Other members of the committee include Nick Stern, IG Patel professor of Economics and Government, and head of the India Observatory at the London School of Economics.
