Dept of Science and Tech plans mathematical model for giving predictions on COVID-19


PTI | New Delhi | Updated: 30-05-2020 23:30 IST | Created: 30-05-2020 23:28 IST
Dept of Science and Tech plans mathematical model for giving predictions on COVID-19
The plan was to choose the best aspects from these models to make a supermodel, he said Under a special COVID-19 funding initiative, the DST was already funding 10 groups involved in mathematical modelling, Sharma added. Image Credit: ANI
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The Department of Science and Technology (DST) plans to develop a COVID-19 national mathematical supermodel to help predict the spread of infection that can assist policymakers, DST Secretary Ashutosh Sharma said on Saturday. There were more than 20 groups with different mathematical models. The plan was to choose the best aspects from these models to make a supermodel, he said Under a special COVID-19 funding initiative, the DST was already funding 10 groups involved in mathematical modelling, Sharma added.

As part of this initiative, the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) and Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, will co-ordinate to connect and work with all COVID-19 modelling projects and programmes in the country. "This will help develop a set of benchmarks to assess various models and to finally deliver the COVID-19 India National Supermodel. The coordination team will consult and work with the research groups active in modelling, various software developers, and reputed companies to ensure delivery of a suitable user interface and software," a statement said. Sharma said the supermodel can help in giving predictions of different aspects of coronavirus, which in turn can be used by policymakers.

"The model will entirely rely only on the data that is relevant to COVID-19, and also have an adaptive built-in component to learn from the newer trends in the data. It will aggregate successfully evidence-based mathematical and statistical forecasting models and include the best predictive analytics for robust forecasting of infectious disease spread," the statement said. "Mathematical modelling and simulations for the spread of COVID-19 virus and its impact are not mere academic exercises but are critical needs for rational decision making, planning, and resource management," Sharma said. It is thus of vital importance that a robust national model which is vetted by a large cross-section of the scientific community working in the area is developed, Sharma added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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