Role of Data Streams In Informing Infection Dynamics in Africa- INFORM Africa

Title: An Exploratory Research to Quantify SARS-CoV-2 Related Health Effects under Extreme Climate Events Abstract: This novel Pillar-1 "Health Effects Research" will evaluate the role that climate-change and its resulting extreme weather events have on SARS- CoV-2 related health outcomes. There is an urgent and ongoing need of such evaluation to understand the complex and compound effects in preparation for the new SARS-CoV-2 waves and future pandemic. We propose to develop geospatial models to identify how COVID-19 transmissions risks, cases, and deaths are directly related to climate events and therefore quantify the spatial heterogeneity. This research will also explore the use of mobile phone location data sources to identify behavioral and economic changes. Novel human mobility, density, and accessibility indicators will be developed and statistically tested to measure movements, gathering behavior, evacuation, and access of food, healthcare, etc. Such human behavior and changes will again be integrated into a geospatial model to estimate the indirect effects of climate change on health. The impact of climate events may have direct health consequences, but also feedback effects from the induced human gathering and reduced accessibility to food, healthcare and other essential businesses. The proposed study will innovatively quantify such effects of the public health crisis. The highly data rich and disaggregate research approach would also enable the quantification of health effects, social and health disparities faced by vulnerable and underserved populations.