Public health surveillance for improved pandemic preparedness and evaluation of community-level interventions

The overall aim of this project is to investigate how extensive population data infrastructures can be used to monitor public health effects and evaluate community-level interventions in real time during pandemics.

We will evaluate how rapid the proposed data infrastructures can detect i) short- and long-term effects on public health of community-level interventions, ii) unexpected adverse events in relation to infections and vaccinations, iii) emerging new biological agents in society.

Using the doctrinal legal research method, we will also analyze iv) authorities’ legal obligations in the context of national and international law. The project runs over three years and is highly interdisciplinary. It brings research on infectious diseases, epidemiology, public health, computer science and law together.

The empirical studies will be based on a unifying scientific toolbox with advanced epidemiological methods and quasi-experimental approaches, as well as more explorative methods within applied artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

The project will, if successful, contribute to an increased awareness among national and global policy makers of the rich potential in combining data from various sources to detect new pathogens in society, monitor public health effects and combat health crises in society, while at the same time pointing at the human rights concerns that may arise.