Pandemic Data Collection, Management, Analysis and Decision Support: A Large Urban University Retrospective

Namrata Banerji, Steve Chang, Andrew Perrault, Tanya Berger-Wolf, Mikkel Quam

Keywords: datasets, public health, data management, ethics

TL;DR: This is a perspective paper describing the experience of working closely with the pandemic management, highlighting the challenges and takeaways from a data and analytics point of view.

Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the world. During this crisis, data has emerged as a critical resource for understanding, monitoring, and mitigating the impact of the disease.
We present The Ohio State University's data-driven framework for comprehensive monitoring of the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss the challenges associated with data collection, investigate the roles and limitations of data analysis in supporting intervention choice and implementation strategies amid the complexities of the pandemic as it unfolded. Balancing privacy, consent, and transparency and ensuring the responsible handling of sensitive information is crucial in maintaining public trust. We examine privacy-preserving techniques, ethical frameworks, and legal regulations aimed at safeguarding individuals' rights while harnessing the power of data.
In our experience, conscientious data architecture provided a foundation for meaningful ethical applications of data products, which not only helped mitigate the current crisis, but also can provide valuable insights for better addressing future public health emergencies.