On August 31, 2020, ANSO hosted the International Webinar on Big Data Analysis and Forecast for the COVID-19 Pandemic. The objective of this workshop is to explore the big data and information analysis methods on prediction of the spreading trend of the COVID-19 pandemic in various countries by enhancing the information exchange and international cooperation. About 70 scientists and experts from Asia, Europe, Africa and America participated in this workshop.
To support the science-based decision-makings in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the first trial of the ANSO Pandemic Forecast Information Platform (ANSO-PFIP http://www.covda.tpdc.ac.cn/about_us) is developed through the great efforts of the scientists from institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the City University of Hong Kong. The mission of this system is to provide a short and long term forecast for about 50 countries seriously influenced by COVID-19, and a visualized user-friendly platform for policy makers and public. More research groups and scientists will join this activity in the future.
Prof. David James Molden, Director General of the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) gave an opening speech emphasizing the importance of joint effort to overcome global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. Prof. Jinghua Cao, Executive Director of the ANSO Secretariat, pointed out the unprecedented changes and damages that COVID-19 brought to the world, calling for regional and global solidarity, cooperation and multilateralism. He also presented the ANSO’s effort against the epidemic and emphasized the significance of policy-making within the current context.
The participants discussed the important issues related to COVID-19 and its predictability, and exchanged their views for the future cooperation. Information exchanges among ANSO members and partners would be strengthened, and some of the key countries will be focused in the future.
This workshop was organized by the Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ITP, CAS), and co-organized by Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and City University of Hong Kong (CityU).