Go local: The key to controlling the COVID-19 pandemic in the post lockdown era

TL;DR

The paper emphasizes the importance of localized, real-time data analysis and visualization for effective COVID-19 control and lockdown easing strategies in the UK, highlighting variability across regions.

Contribution

It advocates for a locality-based approach to lockdown easing using real-time mobility and case data to identify hotspots and enable targeted interventions.

Findings

Variability in COVID-19 cases across UK local authorities.

Real-time mobility data enables faster outbreak visualization.

Localized data analysis supports targeted public health responses.

Abstract

The UK government announced its first wave of lockdown easing on 10 May 2020, two months after the non-pharmaceutical measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 were first introduced on 23 March 2020. Analysis of reported case rate data from Public Health England and aggregated and anonymised crowd level mobility data shows variability across local authorities in the UK. A locality-based approach to lockdown easing is needed, enabling local public health and associated health and social care services to rapidly respond to emerging hotspots of infection. National level data will hide an increasing heterogeneity of COVID-19 infections and mobility, and new ways of real-time data presentation to the public are required. Data sources (including mobile) allow for faster visualisation than more traditional data sources, and are part of a wider trend towards near real-time analysis of outbreaks needed for timely, targeted local public health interventions. Real time data visualisation may give early warnings of unusual levels of activity which warrant further investigation by local public health authorities.