Working to make government more effective

Working to make government more effective

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Combined epidemiological and economic modelling: How can government better prepare for future pandemics?

The pandemic showed the need for government to improve its use of modelling.

Gemma Tetlow Shaina Sangha
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Chris Whitty delivering a press conference
Chris Whitty, chief medical officer during the pandemic, delivers a press conference from Downing Street in 2020.

This paper presents the possible benefits and challenges created by greater use of combined epidemiological and economic (or epi-econ) models in pandemic preparations and response

The Covid pandemic showed the need for government to improve – all the more so given the amount of evidence that suggests that pandemics will become more common due to factors including migration and climate change. Epidemiological-economic (epi-econ) modelling can help them to do this. As the name implies, epi-econ models draw on both epidemiological and economic disciplines to capture the feedbacks between health and economic systems.

This paper, kindly supported by UKRI, looks at how this and future governments can make better use of epi-econ modelling.

Combined epidemiological and economic modelling

How this and future governments can make better use of epi-econ modelling to prepare for future pandemics.

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Report cover
Topic
Public finances Coronavirus
Keywords
Economy Health Supporting policy making
Department
HM Treasury
Public figures
Chris Whitty
Publisher
Institute for Government

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