Informal mathematical modelling group
An informal network of mathematical modellers, administered by the World Health Organization (WHO) through its Health Security and Environment cluster (WHO-HSE), has been established with several FluModCont researchers participating. The first meeting has been held in Geneve on 1-3 July. A first publication on the work of the MM network has been published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER), see http://www.who.int/entity/wer/2009/wer8434/en/index.html
Major aim of the MM network is to assist WHO in describing and assessing the pandemic influenza A(H1N1)v, and to provide analyses to guide decision-making for public health interventions and policy through the application of mathematical modelling methods to epidemiological and virological/genetic data.
The network members agreed to work collaboratively to describe and predict the behaviour and impact of the influenza A(H1N1)v and demonstrate the potential outcome of proposed interventions. The results of these analyses will be suitable to policy makers, experts and to general public.
ECDC has also created a more European specific modelling group “ECDC Influenza A(H1N1)v modelling group”, which is composed by the leading influenza modelling in Europe. The ECDC modelling group is also liaising with the WHO informal mathematical modelling network. FluModCont is closely linked with the ECDC modelling group.