LEARNING FROM COVID-19 - GIS FOR PANDEMICS
"Learning from COVID-19 - GIS for Pandemics" is a comprehensive book that explores how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic to improve situational awareness and response strategies. The book is divided into five parts, each focusing on different aspects of GIS implementation in response to the pandemic.
In Part 1, the book highlights the use of GIS by Johns Hopkins University to create a global dashboard for tracking the spread of the virus. It also discusses how state dashboards supported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have improved monitoring of cases and capacity. Additionally, the book features the University of California San Diego's use of GIS in sensing and mapping COVID-19 in wastewater, as well as Esri's innovative GIS-based contact tracing initiative that has set a precedent in the United States.
Part 2 delves into equitable resource allocation during the pandemic. It discusses how Esri has analyzed racial inequities using GIS, and how spatial approaches have been used to determine accessibility to resources. The book also showcases how GIS has been instrumental in achieving equitable and speedy vaccine distribution, with examples from City of Bethlehem Health Bureau in Pennsylvania, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Lewis and Clark Public Health in Montana.
Part 3 focuses on capacity and infrastructure, with examples from Penn Medicine's Predictive Healthcare Team on how GIS has been used to explore COVID-19 surges and capacity. It also discusses how maps and models have been utilized by the US Army Corps of Engineers to create surge hospital capacity, and how GIS has been used to solve medical supply chain problems by Direct Relief.
In Part 4, the book highlights the role of communication and engagement during the pandemic. It showcases GIS hub sites that have been used to share COVID-19 news and resources by Montgomery County in Pennsylvania, Maryland Department of Information Technology, University of South Florida, and Delaware County in Indiana. It also discusses equitable community engagement during COVID-19 using GIS by Esri, and how location intelligence has helped boost census response rates by the US Census Bureau.
Lastly, in Part 5, the book focuses on recovery and resilience. It discusses five spatial approaches to safely reopening during the pandemic by Esri, as well as evaluating readiness for relaxing stay-at-home measures using GIS. The book also showcases how GIS has been used to assess economic fallout with shared maps by Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware Counties, and the city and county of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. Additionally, it discusses how Esri has balanced response and recovery strategies, and provides insights on how to safely reopen the workplace during COVID-19.
Overall, "Learning from COVID-19 - GIS for Pandemics: Part 1: Situational Awareness" presents a comprehensive overview of how GIS has been used as a powerful tool in improving situational awareness and response strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through various examples and case studies, the book demonstrates the critical role of GIS in addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic and provides valuable insights and lessons learned for future pandemics and public health emergencies.
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