How Data Science is Being Used to Save Lives During the Covid-19 Pandemic
With the onslaught of a public health crisis, data science and AI have been effectively utilized to address health and safety issues. Below are several ways in which data science and AI are being used to reduce risk and increase public health.
Drones, which are defined as aircrafts that are not operated by pilots who are in the aircrafts, but rather by controllers who are on the ground, have been effective in assisting everyone from first responders to those needing supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic. While drones have been used for nefarious purposes, such as transporting drugs, and have been known to interfere with flight paths for helicopters and airplanes, drones have also been fixed with sensors to discover people who are lost, and AI and drones have been used to go to places that are too dangerous for humans to enter. With the onset of Covid-19, drones have also been used to help people to social distance and still receive their food. For example, a recent story by CNN detailed how a Walmart in Nevada has launched a pilot program whereby drones have been used to deliver Covid-19 tests in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, RMDS Lab teamed up with the City of Los Angeles to develop its LA County Covid-19 Risk Map. RMDS Lab initiated its Covid-19 2020 Computational Challenge, whereby contestants were tasked with determining the risk of exposure to Covid-19 in the City of Los Angeles. By collecting data on cases from the City of Los Angeles, RMDS Lab was able to designate risk level of contracting Covid-19 based on area, as well as notifications of Covid-19 testing
Moreover, epidemiological models are designed to recognize the extent and pervasiveness of an illness. By using data to track the severity of the prevalence of an illness, data scientists can help to alert the general public about various risks and allow city officials to make decisions for the public good based on the data available in order to mitigate the severity of an epidemic. If you are interested in learning more about epidemiological modelling, RMDS Lab has teamed up with the University of Michigan’s Dr. Shuming Bao to develop its free Tackling Covid-19 course, which outlines how data scientists have collected and used data to address the Covid-19 pandemic. To access this free course, click here.
