An Investigation on Epidemic Logistical Response and Planning: The Case of Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Effective mitigation to the impacts of sudden, large-scale epidemic outbreak is a key issue as it poses substantial impacts on human lives and society. As numerous urban and social activities involve logistics, it means that effective epidemic logistical response and planning is key to secure social security and prosperity, now and the future. Hitherto, however, there is a serious scarcity of knowledge on how the logistical system can adapt to epidemic outbreak. There is an urgency to investigate whether epidemic logistical planning approach is appropriate. Hence, by focusing on Covid-19, the goal of this project is to develop effective logistical strategies and solutions to tackle the social impacts caused by sudden, large-scale epidemic outbreak so as to enhance the resilience of cities, countries, and societies. It strives to achieve five key objectives: 1) to investigate how individuals and societies with difference characteristics (e.g., age, jobs) perceive and react to the social impacts of and logistical strategy in tackling Covid-19, 2) to identify attributes that can catalyze information sharing and coordination between cities and countries in epidemic logistical planning, 3) to identify ways that can facilitate the transfer of strategies and solutions to cities and countries under diversified geographical and cultural contexts, especially those with relatively weak health systems, 4) to investigate how governments plan and respond to the different logistical needs of society in the outburst of a sudden, large-scale epidemic at different stages; and 5) to develop strategies, solutions, and a supporting framework to governments and societies to mitigate the rapid spread of Covid-19 in terms of logistical service control, especially for vulnerable groups and areas. By improving the logistical response and planning, we strongly believe that this project will secure healthier and more secure societies in Canada, China, and around the world in the long term.