Understanding Infection Trends

The first step in understanding COVID-19 infection is figuring out where and how infections are spreading. This is where graph databases have been a particularly powerful tool. Generally derived from conventional SQL databases, graph databases convert SQL information using visualisations and allow users to better visualise relationships between individual data points. Through contact tracing, local authorities can determine who is at risk of contracting COVID-19, being able to see such connections is critical.

Local Government Efforts

COVID-19 is being fought at many levels. While there are global efforts to understand the disease and develop a vaccine, there are also countless country-level initiatives, and these also rely on big data. At the city or state level, epidemiologists have been able to make use of Data Analytics and Machine Learning to analyse data and determine how effective local public health campaigns focused on masking, social distancing, and hand hygiene have been. These models can help researchers visualise which populations are being reached, when interventions reach sufficient community penetration to significantly reduce case numbers, and other critical insights that will help businesses, schools, and other facilities reopen while keeping communities safe.

Tackling The Vaccine Search

While understanding how COVID-19 is spread and how to treat it is critical, most experts agree that the virus won’t be fully controlled until we have an effective vaccine. Unfortunately, vaccines usually take a long time to produce. However, the biggest change impacting vaccine development for COVID-19 is the incorporation of data with artificial intelligence models. This approach is currently being used to develop a number of different vaccines – which includes the best drugs to treat COVID-19.

If data analytics can be used to tackle the toughest problem in 2020, think about the unlimited opportunities it can bring to your career development. What are you waiting for? Join our telegram chat to be in the know when we launch our classes!