Worldometers – A rambling mind

My Coronavirus model post-Pirola

Chart 318 for scenario UK_1445 with adult vaccinations, and vacs for 5-11 year-olds from 4th April 2022

I have updated my Coronavirus model to include an assessment of the potential impact of the new BA.2.86 Pirola variant. The model factors in age-group structures, transmission rates, vaccination phases, and non-pharmaceutical interventions. The model finds that despite reported decreases in Covid-19 cases in the UK, case recording has been high with recent data seeming erratic, with some inadequacy in the data reported by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) after it ceased its regular reporting. I source data from Worldometers, providing reliable Covid-19 figures. The accuracy of the model may be compromised by lower reliability of active case data.

Declining Omicron cases but increasing deaths – Coronavirus

The WHO estimates of Covid worldwide officially reported deaths vs. actual excess deaths from the pandemic

Something odd seems to be happening with the relationship between reported UK Covid-19 cases and deaths in the last few weeks, when deaths have been increasing somewhat more quickly than recently, but cases have declined steeply. My model charts seem to expose this oddity.

Tuning the age and vulnerability Coronavirus model

Chart 19 for the grouped model UK957: modelled 800 day outcome compared with reported data to April 21st for active cases and deaths, with 2021 NPI relaxations up to June 21st 2021

In my latest post on March 26th I described a new Coronavirus group model, based on work I had done as a UK case study in support of Prof. Alex de Visscher’s paper, in conjunction with Dr. Tom Sutton, on “Second-wave Dynamics of COVID-19: Impact of Behavioral Changes, Immunity Loss, New Strains, and Vaccination” which has now been published for peer review as a pre-print on Springer’s site at https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-195879/v1. I have now added the latest UK vaccination progress figures, and the UK Government’s announced intentions for the near future regarding Non Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs). I have also updated mortality and infection characteristics for the four different population groups in the model.

Age and vulnerability related Coronavirus modelling

Chart 209 showing modelled and reported cumulative cases and deaths to 800 days in the groups model

In my most recent post on February 12th, I described modelling work I had done in support of Prof. Alex de Visscher’s paper, in conjunction with Dr. Tom Sutton, on “Second-wave Dynamics of COVID-19: Impact of Behavioral Changes, Immunity Loss, New Strains, and Vaccination” which has now been published for peer review as a pre-print on Springer’s site at https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-195879/v1. I have now added vaccination and multiple variants I had already added to our previous model into the new grouped population model, and this blog post reports on progress with that new model.

NPIs, Coronavirus variants and vaccine models

Chart 17 model output for deaths, active cases and Seriously Sick to 800 days. 2nd virus variant from September 23rd, day 235. 3rd variant from January 1st 2021, Day 335. 250k vacs/day from January 1st (day 335) and 400k vacs/day from February 1st (day 366) and thereafter. 15% NPI reduction on March 7th, model Day 401.

This paper reports some parametric Coronavirus model runs I have made that compare, in particular, how the UK vaccine programme allows some NPI relaxation compared with a case with no vaccination. The outcome is that the vaccine programme in the UK has the potential to reduce the imposition of NPIs on March 7th by about 15%, without costing lives, this being the next time we in the UK are due for a major NPI review, potentially involving the return of schools at around March 7th.

USA Thanksgiving Coronavirus lessons for UK Christmas and New Year?

Chart 13 model outputs to 425 days, April 1st, 2021, no vaccinations compared with a 3-phase vaccination programme, as at December 8th

We are aware that the rates of cases and deaths in the USA have increased steeply recently, and it seems that the natural public relaxation in precautions against Covid-19 for the Thanksgiving holiday period have exacerbated this. I have run my model with reductions to the USA intervention effectiveness during the Thanksgiving period (reflecting the increase in travel and social interactions in the USA) followed by reintroduction of the intervention effectiveness afterwards, to see the effect on the immediate projections. I have then applied similar changes to my UK models, to anticipate what the possible effect of such relaxations over the UK festive period might be. This is very much a sensitivity test of some scenarios, not a forecast.

Modelling of Coronavirus vaccine strategies

Comparative vaccination charts for the UK to 800 days. Continuation of current NPIs on the left; and an graduated vaccine intervention on the right from January 1st 2021

In my most recent post on November 18th, about updating my Coronavirus model to handle the impact of vaccines, I gave some examples of how case numbers, and more specifically death rates might be improved for the UK through a vaccination programme. Now that there seem to be several vaccines imminent, with efficacies ranging from 70% (Astra-Zeneca/Oxford) through 90% (A-Z/O via a different inoculation regime, and Pfizer), to 95% (Moderna) and several others in the mix, I explore some sensitivities in more detail, and also apply the model to the USA.

Make America well again – Coronavirus

Model charts for the USA. Continuation of current policy until a postulated Biden intervention on February 20th 2021, on the left; and an early November 8th intervention on the right

I look at the impact of a postulated change in the timing of further measures to control the Covid-19 epidemic in the USA, against a current background of rapidly increasing daily case numbers and deaths. I also show an updated projection for the UK, both compared with Worldometers forecasts

Adaptive triggering and the Coronavirus epidemic life-cycle

Chart 11 showing UK model and reported deaths and cases, both cumulatively and daily, up to October 27th, with Seriously Sick and Deaths highlighted on Chart 12.

Introduction In my last post on October 21st, looking at the potential for an exit from the epidemic, I described a cyclical version of the modelling of the epidemic in the UK, reflecting outputs from Imperial College and Harvard earlier this year, which postulated a continuing cycle of partial lockdowns, easing of restrictions and upsurgesContinue reading “Adaptive triggering and the Coronavirus epidemic life-cycle”

Where’s the exit? – Coronavirus

Imperial College and Harvard forecasts and illustrations of cyclical pandemic behaviour

My title for this post is drawn from a slide I have shown before, from the 17th April Cambridge Conversation webinar, which I reported in my April 17th blog post, and also in my April 22nd blog post on model refinement, illustrating the cyclical behavior of the Covid-19 epidemic in the absence of pharmaceutical interventions, with control of cases and deaths achieved, only to some extent, by Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs).