COVID 19 research conduit : researchers collaborating for the endgame of the pandemic

Abstract

'Covid 19 Research Conduit' is an umbrella bringing together a number of different research groups and partners. Our members our also supported by their home institutions: you can find who they are and who their organisations are on our people page. http://www.covid-19-research-conduit.org/people/

Statement of Purpose: The purpose of this group is to draw on the talents and technical expertise of researchers to provide cost benefit analysis of mitigation measures and policy recommendations to be adopted, particularly for the endgame. The aim is to provide a conduit through which research can flow: matching expertise with questions and taking advantage of economies of scale to establish a credible organization that will be taken seriously by policy makers. The disease is international and so are we.

The Situation: We expect that strong measures to keep people at home will, over the next weeks and months, bring the rate of spread of Covid-19 under control. It may be that by that time weather or technological progress will enable the resumption of normal activities but this is far from certain, unlikely even, and there needs to be planning for the end-game: coping with the disease while minimizing socio-economic harm. The core questions are, roughly, “How to keep R under 1 with as small social costs as possible” and “How to minimize the health risk at an acceptable social cost”.