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Data can help solve the Covid crisis

As the virus swept across the globe, it was data that flagged its onward journey

Data
Data is currently helping us prepare our hospitals and healthcare systems to cope, as well as telling the story of Covid-19’s impact on each locality

The Covid-19 crisis developed without warning. Governments, healthcare systems and businesses have struggled to cope with the devastating speed of its grip.

Our interconnected, globalised world provided the pathways for the virus to quickly spiral into a worldwide pandemic. Comparisons have been drawn with the Spanish influenza of 1918, when as many as 50 million people are believed to have died. But the similarities are few.

Aside from better living conditions and healthier populations in 2020, the global integration that fuelled the spread of Covid-19 will also be pivotal in helping us navigate our way through the pandemic.

Specifically, data and technology has been vital in helping us tackle this crisis.

As the virus swept across the globe, it was data that flagged its onward journey, giving an early warning system to the countries next in line.

Data is currently helping us prepare our hospitals and healthcare systems to cope, as well as telling the story of Covid-19’s impact on each locality.

Combined with good judgment and expert knowledge, data gives us the raw materials to plan our actions and then judge the results.

In the UK, local authorities and major charities are using a new data mapping tool to identify areas with the highest concentration of vulnerable groups. The tool takes anonymised data and analyses it to create modelled information to quantify the households requiring support at a geographical level.

The information is used to highlight groups such as those who may be living alone, self-isolating due to old age and others who may have poor, or no, internet access and are unable to access online shopping and services. The data can help food banks identify areas where there may be people who need their help.

Additionally, NHS hospitals are using data and advanced models to forecast demand for beds, healthcare and personal protective equipment.

As the health crisis developed, we saw decisive action from governments and central banks around the world to protect millions of people and businesses. More than ever those actions needed to be based on clear, accurate data to ensure it is targeted at the groups that need most help.

In the UK, the Treasury is using data to support businesses. It receives weekly reports updating on trends in the credit market to help understand whether government support schemes are reaching businesses – and, crucially, to make changes to ensure companies are now getting the money they need.

These unusual times have resulted in many people being unable to pay monthly bills. The UK credit reference agencies have agreed that those who have asked for a payment holiday with their lender will have their credit files protected.

Data will also help companies small and large as we start to emerge from the crisis. Understanding how best to connect with potential customers will allow small and medium-sized enterprises to become more agile in rapidly moving environments. It will help to save jobs, enable families to pay their bills and support the economy.

Experian and other technology companies will continue to play a part in supporting governments, hospitals, communities and businesses to tackle this crisis. We must remain thoughtful and vigilant in our use of technology and data in the weeks and months ahead. How we collect, share and analyse data needs to be done in a responsible manner and data must be seen as part of the solution, not part of the problem.

There are those who have expressed some anxiety about the advance of data science. In my mind, this crisis has demonstrated in the clearest possible terms that, properly managed and with care taken to protect individual privacy, data can be a force for good, at the heart of our economy.

The UK is already a leading global player in data science and we can emerge from this crisis with a purposeful industry fit for the future.

 

Brian Cassin is the chief executive of Experian

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