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SUMMARY:App-based contact tracing: epidemiological rationale and current p
 erspectives - Luca Ferretti (Big Data Institute\, University of Oxford)
DTSTART:20200817T140000Z
DTEND:20200817T150000Z
UID:TALK149770@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Lorena Qendro
DESCRIPTION:*Abstract:* In the last months\, app-based contact tracing app
 eared prominently in the public debate. Some highly relevant questions wer
 e often absent from this debate: what is the epidemiological rationale beh
 ind digital contact tracing? Which role could these apps play in the contr
 ol of the COVID-19 epidemic? What should we actually expect from them at l
 ow uptake?\nIn this talk\, I will summarise our understanding of COVID-19 
 epidemiology and SARS-CoV-2 transmission\, highlighting how speed and effi
 ciency are the main determinants of the effectiveness of contact tracing i
 n controlling the epidemic\, and why digital solutions are the most promis
 ing ones. I will present an overview of the current status of app-based so
 lutions in several countries\, with a focus on the limitations and challen
 ges of existing implementations\, and discuss several improvements for tes
 t&trace strategies. Finally\, I will illustrate the consequences of low up
 take and heterogeneous social networks on the effectiveness of app-based c
 ontact tracing.\n\n\n*Bio:* Luca Ferretti is a Senior Researcher in Pathog
 en Dynamics at the Big Data Institute\, University of Oxford. \nHis resear
 ch focuses on the interplay of epidemiology\, genetics\, evolution and wit
 hin-host dynamics in HIV and other viral pathogens such as FMDV\, ASF and 
 SARS-CoV-2. \nHe is currently focused on COVID-19 epidemiology and digital
  contact tracing. He is a member of the task-force against COVID-19 of the
  Italian Ministry of Innovation. He has actively supported both NHSX and t
 he Italian government in the development of contact-tracing apps.
LOCATION:Virtual (see abstract for Zoom link)
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