There has been considerable research activity within the School of Mathematics in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrating the dexterity of the School researchers to respond to emergent societal challenges, to engage with and impact national policy makers, and to communicate results to the general public.
Early in the pandemic when data were sparse, Fasiolo, Green and Wood drew attention to biases in models due to inadequate data (Lancet, May 2020) and called for an appropriately-designed random testing campaign.
Lawson provided the underpinning statistical methodology for regional NHS contingency planning (BMJ, June 2020).
As part of the Royal Society’s DELVE Action Team tasked to provide mathematical, data-driven advice to decision makers, Ellis co-authored two reports submitted to SAGE. One analysing the consequences of re-opening schools was cited directly by the UK Chief Medical Officer to explain government policy.
In April and June 2020 at the request of the Department for Health and Social Care, Crane co-organised (and 9 staff from the School of Mathematics contributed to) national study groups that wrote working papers, which analyse consequences of postlockdown activities.
Johnson’s analysis of the pandemic in terms of non-standard measures of population density led an invitation to the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee (June 2020).
Lawson and Johnson have regularly contributed to media coverage of the pandemic, featured in the Guardian, New York Times, BBC and the Spectator.