Virtual GIS Summit on COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic

On 11 March 2020, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, and as of the 30th March there were more than 785,709 confirmed cases and 37,686 deaths reported in 178 countries/regions worldwide. Historically governments have had to respond to natural disasters and infectious disease outbreaks, which have resulted in loss of lives and devastation to the environment and national economies. This current viral outbreak is one of the colossal proportions and the rate of infection rapidly multiplies given our densely populated urban centers and an interconnected global economy. Responders worldwide – scientists, doctors, disease trackers, modellers, logisticians and supply chain experts are now designing and implementing measures to stop the transmission and spread of the virus. Critical to the response effort is the sharing of information and guidelines, the development of tools to deliver data in real-time on websites and via messaging networks, identification of locations to establish additional hospitals, quarantine bases, and virus testing locations, and effective communication on the situation.

Geospatial data users and providers across governments, the private sector, academia, students and the general public are invited to participate in the Virtual Geospatial Summit to learn and share how the global community of geospatial scientists has been levering geospatial, Earth Observation and statistical data, creating innovative tools to support response measures and manage the containment of COVID-19. The intention is to show some of the tools and GIS dashboards that have been developed, the good practices that have been implemented including the challenges in collecting geospatial health data and to demonstrate how GIS supports effective communication through analytics and data visualization. It is hoped that countries at the start of the infection period will benefit from the experiences and practices to be shared and that a network of geospatial health collaborators for an emergency response can be created.

9:00 - 10:00 am EDT

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Este Geraghty, MD, MS, MPH, GISP| Chief Medical Officer, Esri

Session Descriptions for Virtual GIS Summit on COVID-19

Health GIS- Infectious Disease Response Planning

Over the past 15 years, the world Infectious disease experts have issued warnings that a global pandemic involving a new respiratory disease, was not a question of if, but when it would occur. They were correct in their projections and today we globally face a pandemic of colossal magnitude. Many Ministries of Health (MOH) and subnational Departments of Health (DOH) around the world have activated those response plans and are sharing data. Geographic information is essential in detecting and responding to any infectious disease outbreak, whether it is a pandemic or a local outbreak. Geographic Information System (GIS) is playing a critical role in:

• Assessing risks
• Evaluating threats
• Tracking outbreaks
• Maintaining situational awareness
• Documenting disparity
• Ensuring the focused allocation of resources (e.g., vaccines, antivirals)
• Facilitating Community notification
• Minimizing the disruption caused by necessary community health interventions

This session will present a keynote on this topic and highlight the role of GIS in planning and responding to infectious disease outbreaks, with a special focus on COVID-19.

10:30 - 11:30 am EDT

GIS Data to support response to COVID-19

Geospatial data inclusive of base map data from the mapping agencies, demographic and social mobility data, at-risk population data and other thematic layers from statistical organizations, Ministries of Health and other reliable sources are aiding the response to COVID-19. This session will highlight how these agencies are using GIS data in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

12:00 - 1:00 pm EDT

Assessing and Combating COVID-19 with Satellite Imagery

Infectious diseases are estimated to cause more than 15 million deaths globally each year, an ever-evolving challenge to human health, according to the World Health Organization.

As the world rushes to contain Coronavirus (COVID-19), tracking where and how it’s spreading is difficult due to the global nature of society. Human mobility like air travel and commuting, logistics, infrastructure, and public health facilities, as well as poor socioeconomic conditions, are all important factors in modeling pandemics.

The session will highlight the use of high-resolution imagery in analyzing and responding to COVID-19.

1:30 - 2:30 pm EDT

Geospatial Tools and Dashboards

Coronavirus Response will require a collection of maps and apps that can be used by Public Health agencies and other first responders to understand the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and share authoritative information about the pandemic with your community.

Agencies need to be able to configure and share coronavirus response maps, data, and applications; or configure and share an individual map or application that meets their specific needs.

This session will review a series of applications that can be used to monitor coronavirus cases, track the impact on public gathering places (for example, schools, government buildings, common places), inventory testing sites, and share this information with the public via dashboards.

This session will examine concepts and include technical demonstrations on how to configure applications.

3:00 - 4:00 pm EDT

Community Engagement and Feedback

Is the voice of your community being heard in this pandemic?

With this paradigm shift in how we will conduct day to day activities across global communities, community engagement is now a critical component in how we bounce back. Community Engagement can, at the very least, play an important role in shaping our response to problems. COVID-19 is, therefore, no exception. Traditional top-down approaches may be ineffective in curbing the spread of the virus on our communities and its propagating effects. In order to initiate improvement at national and international levels within the community, we will need to break from these traditional means and seek out collaboration at the community level to properly diagnose and spark innovative means of combating this pandemic. Community Engagement can lead to an improved outcome for communities. It promotes inclusion and focuses on a better understanding of the needs and priorities of communities.

From dashboards, to story maps and visual analytics, GIS presents us with a plethora of means by which we can engage the community and its respective stakeholders. Join us as we discuss how members of the geospatial community are taking different approaches in breaking down communication barriers during this time and keeping all members of the community engaged and informed.

4:30 - 5:00 pm EDT

Data Sharing Amidst the crisis

GIS has served as an important enabler in the decision-making process. In response to the ongoing pandemic, it has now become vital that decision-makers are equipped with the right analytics to guide policy, recovery strategies and future planning. Now more than ever GIS professionals need access to reliable data.

Health data presents its own unique parameters and sharing of this data has inherent restrictions and other challenges that must be examined towards adequately addressing data access and their use in addressing any pandemic or epidemic.

Join us for a series of panel discussions with our peers, in the private and public sectors, to learn how they are addressing this and bringing to the fore the current barriers to accessing data we need, where they may exist, and how we can curtail these obstacles.

5:30 - 6:00 pm EDT - Closing & Prizes

THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS

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