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17 March 2021
6.00pm-7.00pm
Pandemics are nothing new for humanity – from smallpox to the Black Death to influenza, pathogen spread across continents has been a regular occurrence over centuries. What is new however, is the speed by which local outbreaks can reach all parts of the planet.
We now live in a globally connected community where what happens on one side of the Earth can no longer be ignored by the other. We must expect pandemics to become increasingly regular occurrences, but we can also utilise geographic data on our growing connectivity as a basis for preparedness. From mobile phones to genetic markers to satellite imagery, each has a role to play in helping tackle both old foes like malaria and newly emerging disease such as Covid-19.
In this talk, Professor Andy Tatem will highlight the importance of geography and integration of these new forms of dynamic spatial data in understanding disease spread, designing elimination strategies and planning for the next pandemic.